


Gallifrey: The Lost Planet

by Aelwyn



Series: Vignettes of Rose and the Doctor [2]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Atlantis: The Lost Empire AU, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gallifrey, Hurt/Comfort, because why not
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-09-12
Packaged: 2020-07-24 01:35:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 27,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20018095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aelwyn/pseuds/Aelwyn
Summary: A Doctor Who AU starring the Tenth Doctor as John Tyler of Earth and Rose as Arkytior of Gallifrey.This is a retelling of the Disney (2001) animated movie Atlantis: The Lost Empire which starred the voice acting talent of Michael J. Fox as the main protagonist Milo Thatch. If you have not seen this movie I highly recommend you do so first, as you will get the most enjoyment out of it that way, but it can also be read without if you’re in for a slightly kooky fanfic experience but don’t want to go to any real effort.Yeah. A Doctor Who adaptation of Atlantis: The Lost Empire....I may have finally lost my mind.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: ALL RIGHTS GO TO DOCTOR WHO, THE BBC, AND WALT DISNEY PICTURES FOR PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE IDEA TO CREATE THIS UNHOLY UNION.
> 
> I OWN NEITHER THE CHARACTERS, PLACES, NOR MAIN PLOT POINTS. I MAKE NO MONEY FROM THIS, SO PLEASE DON’T SUE ME I’M A COLLEGE STUDENT AND HAVE NO MONEY.

_“...In a single day and night of misfortune, the island of Atlantis disappeared into the depths of the sea.”_

_-Plato_

_“...It is probable to say that the fate of Gallifrey can be attributed to a single Moment of self-sacrifice and catastrophe in the face of unspeakable odds.”_

_-CAL Foundation Library_

^\\\|//^

The day had begun much like any of the ones before it for Gallifrey. The people awoke to the heat of twin suns and the smoke of bombardment from the millions upon millions of Daleks encircling the orange world, battering the Sky Trenches and stray shots seeping through the cracks to set ablaze the planet’s surface. 

The Time Goddess Aeternitas clutched her sleeping daughter closer to her chest as she ran through the Presidential Palace in search of her husband, panting for breath and struggling not to project her terror on the golden-haired toddler she was holding. 

The Lord President was in the middle of a High Council meeting when she burst through the doors, ethereal presence bright and foreboding.

“What are you doing!?” She gasped. Rassilon looked up from his papers and sighed, running a hand through short dark brown hair as he regarded his wife with tired blue eyes. 

“The Final Sanction,” he explained. “We destroy reality and ascend to the ranks of gods.”

“No.”

“There is no other way.”

“I have been a goddess, Rassilon,” Aeternitas said quietly. “I forsook that to live among your people as a mortal being. I will not have that life thrust onto my daughter.”

“If you will not stand beside me then I will have to insist that you stay out of my way,” Rassilon growled. 

Aeternitas drew in a shuddering breath before withdrawing. She hurried back to her chambers and entrusted her daughter into the care of a young ladies’ maid named Flavia for safekeeping, tears streaming down her face as she kissed her daughter’s head for the last time.

“I love you, my Arkytior,” she whispered softly. “Always remember that I love you.” 

Rassilon hurried after his advisors as they rushed toward the Untempered Schism. A servant, out of fear, had told him that his wife had left the city. With the Daleks breaking through the sky trenches above Arcadia and everyone running for the shelters, he worried what she was planning to do. 

His hearts grew heavy as he recognized that the path they were taking lead to the Untempered Schism. 

And there, standing before the stone circle stabilizing the rift in eternity, she stood. Long golden hair burned white and soft brown eyes exploded like tiny supernovas as she turned toward him one final time. 

“Aeternitas!” Rassilon called. “What are you _doing!?_ ” 

“I am become the Moment of both redemption and sorrow,” Aeternitas intoned in a dual-layered voice. She turned away. “Remember this, Lord President. Remember this Moment. You brought us to this.” 

She stepped through the Schism, the singularity flaring brightly for a few moments and pulsating with raw time. As bright temporal ley lines shimmered across a burnt orange sky. 

“Lord President, shield yourself!” And advisor warned. Rassilon ignored him, sharp blue gaze fixed on the pulsating Time Light until they saw no more. 

Above the planet, the Daleks worked themselves into a frenzy as they sensed something happening. They geared up for a final assault, and when the planet was sucked into pocket dimension they blew themselves into obliterating crossfire. 

The universe shivered, then went silent and still.


	2. John’s Presentation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so in case you guys get confused with who each Doctor Who character is supposed to replace/represent I’ll provide a list directly below for that. Note: this is a mix of New Who cast and Classic Who cast. You don’t necessarily have to have seen the Classic Content to understand this though, but a working knowledge of New Content is a must. 
> 
> There is one character in here that I took from the Big Finish Radio Dramas because she kind of fits the slot I needed to fill perfectly. You do not have to have listened to Big Finish, I just wanted to put that out there. I will also supply some general points that will be important to the story. 
> 
> Additionally, I am aware that the Capital city of Gallifrey is not Arcadia. It is simply called ‘The Captital’ or ‘Gallifrey.’ However, I wanted to make a distinction between the planet proper and the seat of government. A simple name change was in order; especially since I’ve already altered quite a bit, I feel like I can get away with this. Still can’t decide whether this is crack fic or a legitimate AU with moving plot and motive. Probably a weird combination of both. 
> 
> CHARACTER REPRESENTATION:
> 
> Milo Thatch —> Dr. John Tyler/The Doctor (Tenth) (New)  
> -Accomplished in astrophysics, linguistics, stellar cartography, and physics  
> -Works for U.N.I.T. as Scientific Advisor  
> -Species: Human  
> -Adopted son of “The Brig”
> 
> Kidagakash/Kida —> Arkytior/Rose (New)  
> -Daughter of the President of Gallifrey and the goddess of Time (Moment)  
> -Species: Gallifreyan/deity hybrid  
> -Oversees cultural aspects of Gallifrey  
> -Mother lost form ending Time War
> 
> Thaddeus Thatch —> Brig. Alastair Lethbridge-Stewart (Classic)  
> -Headed up U.N.I.T. Exploration Division  
> -Died before seeing life’s work to fruition  
> -Adopted John Tyler  
> -Recovered precious artifacts pertaining to the existence of Lost Gallifrey  
> -Species: Human
> 
> Mr. Whitmore —> Wilfred Mott/Wilf (New)  
> -Close friends with Alastair in university  
> -Served together during the Ice Wars  
> -Wealthy, decided to fund expedition  
> -Species: Human
> 
> Rourke —> Col. Koschei Masters/The Master (Delgado) (Classic)  
> -Served under Alastair during Ice Wars  
> -Species: Human
> 
> Helga —> Prof. River Song (New)  
> -On work leave for early release from Stormcage (incarceration due to murder)  
> -Archeologist, Gov. Agent, “Lara Croft”  
> -Was exposed to unusual energies  
> -Species: Enhanced Human
> 
> Vinny —> Ace McShane (Classic)  
> -Demolitions expert  
> -Got into it after school explosion and decided to make it a hobby  
> -Species: Human
> 
> Audrey —> Prvt. Mickey Smith (New)  
> -Mechanic, hacking specialist  
> -Grew up in refugee slums  
> -Species: Human
> 
> Dr. Sweet —> Cpt. Jack Harkness  
> -Former/Turned Time Agent working freelance for U.N.I.T.  
> -In general, gets out of tight spots  
> -Species: Enhanced Human
> 
> Mole —> Strax  
> -Serves as entourage’s medic  
> -Owed life debt to Mickey for saving his life and now follows him everywhere  
> -Species: Sontaran
> 
> Cookie —> Jamie McCrimmon  
> -Keeps making Scottish delicacies no one actually likes (oblivious)  
> -Prone hothead and superstitious  
> -Species: Human
> 
> Packard —> Prof. Evelyn Smythe (Big Finish)  
> -Historian, researcher, documentarian, and communications officer  
> -middle-aged hot cocoa junkie  
> -Species: Human
> 
> The King: Lord President Rassilon  
> -On last Regeneration and failing, especially depressed after losing wife  
> -Arrogance led to the Time War  
> -Blind from overexposure to Vortex  
> -Species: Gallifreyan
> 
> GENERAL:
> 
> Year: 48th Century, 2,800 years since the end of the Time War. 
> 
> The Ice Wars: A long conflict with the Ice Warriors of Mars and Terrans of Earth. 
> 
> U.N.I.T.: Acts like the Federation from Star Trek in that it deals with alien occurrences and works as part of an extraterrestrial coalition called the Shadow Proclamation. Name has changed from “United Nations Intelligence Taskforce” to “Unified Network of Interstellar Traversement”
> 
> Time Agency: Sort of black ops organization created by Torchwood, which was “officially” disbanded four years prior to the story. 
> 
> Scottish Separatism: By this time the Scots are in the same boat as the Irish when it comes to wanting to separate from the UK.

_U.N.I.T. Headquarters, London 4837_

“Afternoon, all. Is the sound system loud enough to reach the people in the back?”

Doctor John Tyler swallowed nervously and tugged at the loose Windsor knot of his tie as he stood in front of the holographic display and addressed the room at large.

“Now, we’re all here today because It’s time for me to submit my research study to the board. If you like it, I get tenure. If not, guess I start over.” He smiled a tight, inauthentic smile. “We all know about the legend of Gallifrey, a planet located somewhere in the Kasterborous System that was home to a species that had complete mastery over all of time, and that according to the surviving texts of Karn was destroyed at the end of the War of Time. 

“Now, some of you are probably wondering why you should waste your time with this. ‘Gallifrey’s just a myth,’ you say. But that’s not quite right.” 

John clicked the small device held in his palm and the holograph behind him shimmered to show a fleet of Daleks being entirely decimated by a single Gallifreyan ship. As he continued speaking he sped through more images of the same kind. 

“Long before the human species had learned to walk, Gallifrey had mastered the fourth dimension. They had journeyed far into deep space and mapped the end of the universe only to be home in time for tea, and some believe they even learned how to cheat death itself. ‘But that’s just not possible!’ You say. Weeeell, maybe for us, but not for them. 

“Ancient civilizations all across the universe have well-documented the existence of Gallifrey and it’s people and agree that they held absolute dominion over time and space. They possessed an advanced form of power unlike any seen before or since, and it enabled them to be masters of the multiverse. Now, my proposal is that I be allowed to fund an expedition that will either find that power source- or the circumstances of its origin, and bring that back for study and eventual use.” 

He cleared his throat and moved to another slide, which showed an excerpt from a journal he was subscribed to. 

“Now, this particular organization found something very interesting at one of their dig. Sites. They uncovered, quite by chance, a buried archive full of illuminated texts and illustrations. This particular illustration is a copy from a Codex called _The Triumphs of Rassilon._ It’s said to be a first-hand account of the final days of the Time War and that it contains the exact location of Gallifrey’s new dimensional coordinates.” 

Another slide, this one with Old High Gallifreyan text carved into a diamond cliff.

“Based on this writing historians date from the dawn of time, located on Planet One mind you, the archeological community had been led to believe that this Codex resided in a library of unknown location, but here’s the thing about Old High Gallifreyan. Tenses are tricky, and conjunctions are murder to the amateur. When I went over this text I noticed a translation error. So, substituting the correction, the Codex doesn’t reside in _a_ library, my distinguished colleagues, but in _The_ Library.”

As an aside he murmured the words ‘pause for effect’ before continuing.

“And at that, I’m open to questions.” John was distracted from his presentation by the buzzing of the U.N.I.T. base intercom. “Ah... uh, can you, just, just excuse for one moment? Thanks.” He glanced around before noticing that the intercom was behind the stack of books and crates he’d set the holographic projector on. Groaning, he attempted to skirt around the equipment and ended up instead knocking half the tower over. “Oops.” 

He pressed his finger to the button and leaned against the wall. 

“Astrophysics, stellar cartography, and universal linguistics. Dr. John Tyler speaking.” The intercom erupted with angry grumbling and shouting and he rolled his eyes. “Yeah, just give me a second and I’ll have those background radiation reports sent in.” He turned on the lights to avoid stumbling over the half-assembled exosuits, typical science classroom human skeletons, and other paraphernalia that he’d drawn white chalk smiley faces on to constitute his practice audience and sat at his computer. Calling up the appropriate charts, he mailed them over and then sidled back to the intercom. 

“How’s that? You have it?” Grumpy but at least pacified rambling. “Good.” 

John turned and set his projector back on the precarious tower before continuing on with his faux-presentation. 

“Now, as you can see by the- Ah. Slight problem...” the projector no longer wanted to work. “Hold on.” He dashed to the whiteboard behind the projector and hastily drew a quick, rough map of the CAL Library archives. “Good as new. As you can see from this map of the archives, the Codex currently exists within its vaults. If a well-trained team were to go in during the daytime to avoid the Vashta Nerada infesting the place, it would then be a cinch to locate the dimensional rift Gallifrey is presently accessible through.” 

The timer he’d set started chirping and he grinned. 

“Showtime. Finally, _finally_ getting out of the lab and out there...” he gathered his necessary materials for the presentation and then walked over to his desk where the antique pocket watch rested. Clicking it open his expression softened when his gaze alighted on the faded picture of himself as a boy sitting on a distinguished-looking older military man’s shoulders. He smiled, remembering all of the times he would steal the man’s military hat only for the brim to hit the frames of his glasses and skew them on his nose. 

Keen to experiment for a brief moment, he glanced around the empty lab space (no one came in to work on Sundays; Sundays were boring) and opened up the top drawer of the desk. He took the hat out of its protective glass case and plopped it onto his head. 

...Only for the brim to once again smack into his glasses. Grimacing, John swung the hat at a sharp angle until the offensive brim resided at the back of his head so that he could read the private message he’d just been given over the server. 

“Dear Dr. Tyler, this is to inform you that your 16:30 meeting had been moved up to 15:30...” frowning, he glanced at the pocket watch and noted that the current time was just after 16:00. “What!?” He then read the second pm that came in with growing irritation. “Dear Dr. Tyler, due to your absence the board has elected to deny your research funding. Have a nice weekend- _Col. Mace’s office!? What!?_ They can’t _do this to me!”_

^\\\|//^ 

“I swear that Tyler gets more and more cockamamie every funding season,” Col. Mace muttered as he stepped out of the conference room with the rest of the U.N.I.T. Brass for the England office in tow. 

“Yeah, if I ever hear the word ‘Gallifrey’ again I’ll step in front of a shuttle,” Col. Karim snickered. 

“Not if I don’t push you first, you won’t,” Maj. Gen. Scobie jabbed. The others broke into titters of amusement before the ominous sound of running trainers on recently-polished floors could be heard rocketing toward them. “Oh no...”

“Col. Mace!” John shouted, his papers and files exploding everywhere from his arms as he ran down the hallway. 

“But I turned off the bio data locators!” Mace exclaimed. “How did he find us so quickly!?” They all scattered, running for the nearest unlocked rooms in the hallway. One after another the doors slammed and locked, and Mace panicked before scurrying to hide behind a recruitment cardboard cutout of a U.N.I.T. soldier that was just a bit too snug around the middle to properly hide his frame. 

“Sir?” John asked uncertainly, tapping the cutout. Mace responded by pushing it straight onto him, effectively stunning him long enough for a quick getaway out of the front doors. Luckily his personal road-glider and chauffeur were waiting for him. 

Unfortunately, however, the window was open, because John came to a skidding halt and dumped half of his papers through it onto his person. 

“Col. Mace, stop! Please?” 

“Look?”

“Sir, can you hold-”

“This is a _military_ institution, Dr. Tyler!” Mace shouted, sticking his head out the window. His driver was getting seated behind the wheel. The young scientist reared back with wide brown eyes, hair a catastrophe in progress underneath the backwards Brigadier cap. “We don’t fund research projects that aren’t viable for the planet’s defense. Now good _day!_ ” 

The vehicle hummed to life, rising in the air to levitate a few inches off the ground, and Mace sighed in relief as his tinted window slid closed. This didn’t stop John Tyler from chasing after and shouting muffled unclear words as he held up a blueprint for what looked like a library archive system, anyway. He fell back a few paces and Mace collapsed into the seat with a sigh of relief. 

A few moments later there was a very loud thud on the roof of the glider, and then John’s upside down face appeared at the top of the driver’s viewscreen. More uninterpretable words ensued, followed by a neatly typed letter with his signature in bold navy blue ink at the bottom. It was clearly a letter of resignation. 

“Stop the vehicle,” Mace groaned. His driver did so abruptly, launching John off the roof to land with a thud in the middle of the street in front of them. The glider slowly pulled up beside him as Mace rolled the window back down. 

“I mean it, Sir,” John spat as he stood and brushed himself off. “I you refuse to fund my research-”

“You’ll... what?” Mace asked drily. “Flush your career down the toilet and shame the Brigadier? You have a lot of potential, John. Would he really want you to waste your life chasing fairytales?”

“But I can prove that Gallifrey still exists,” John exclaimed desperately. Mace sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose before leaning toward the window ever so slightly. 

“You want to play _Indiana Jones?_ ” He asked. “Fine. Piece of advice. Take the shuttle to Stonehenge and start digging. I’ve been told that they’ve found the Pandorica there!” He snapped mockingly before the window rolled back up and his vehicle took off at a pace too fast for John to chase after. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So as promised my internet go sorted and I was finally able to post real content. Sorry for the confusing start to this fic. I’ll be posting up through chapter five for a good placeholder before spacing them out more.


	3. A Most Intriguing Proposition

It was late when John turned the key for his flat and the weather outside had turned stormy, as was want to happen when thick fog rolled in from the channel and the pressure abruptly shifted. 

“K-9, I’m home,” he called tiredly, wringing the water from the hem of his rather amazing tan trench coat that looked a tad bit like a superhero cape when he ran in the way it billowed out behind him. He snapped his fingers a few times waiting for the lights to come on and his posture slumped in defeat when they didn’t. “Perfect.” 

“Hello Sweetie,” an amused voice chirped next to the bank of high-rise windows overlooking the city below. John stopped and stared in astonishment. 

She was in her mid-thirties to early forties in appearance with large, curly blonde hair and mischievous sparkling blue eyes. She was also dressed to the nines in a long-flowing black sequined dress that cut rather low across the cleavage. He swore he heard Mata Hari music start up when he saw her. 

“Who- who are you?” He stuttered, jaw hanging open. He made no attempt to pick it up off the floor. “Better question: how’d you even get in here? We’re on the fiftieth floor!” His mysterious guest smirked as she sat herself down in his favorite armchair.

“Spoilers. My name is Professor River Song, and I’m here on behalf of my employer.” She began picking gently at a hangnail and paused in this action to give him a flirty wink. “Interested?” 

“Your employer,” John said flatly. “Who’s that again?” 

^\\\|//^

The large, impressive gate for the Noble Estate in Chiswick with the family crest opened to the cacophony of several lightning strikes which illumined the large and somewhat forbidding grounds in a definite _Scooby Doo_ vibe. John swallowed nervously as they passed down the gravel drive. The entry was filled with models of star clusters and the ceiling projected the current night sky above them, stars twinkling and casting ethereal light over the various odds and ends on display. 

“This way,” River laughed when she saw her charge getting too close to an array of _Star Trek_ memorabilia. And please don’t touch the Klingon bat’leth. It’s sharp.”

“Oh,” John murmured sheepishly as he followed her to the glass-paned lift. She rolled her eyes as she took in his appearance and began fixing him up properly while they ascended, frowning at his unruly hair. 

“Now remember. Mr. Mott is not a man to be trifled with, am I clear? You will address him as ‘Wilfred’ or ‘Sir’ and I’ll thank you not to make light of his time. His daughter and granddaughter are arriving next week and much needs to be done to get the house in order. Are we clear?” John swallowed nervously; the lift just kept going up. It finally stopped with a light thud and River pushed him out into the room.

“Relax,” she called behind him with a smirk. “He doesn’t bite. Often.” The lift began rising again and as soon as she was out of visual range she started laughing at the tense expression on his face. 

John found himself in a huge glass-ceilinged library that clearly showed the stormy skies above where the shelves reached high into the vaulted space. More science fiction artifacts were scattered about the place, but the thing that caught his attention most was the Snapshot hanging above the massive fireplace with the antique clocks lining the mantel. It was a four-second snippet of life; the Brigadier was dropping to the floor as another man of similar age tried to tackle him from behind but went sailing past without making contact. The last part of the snapshot before it replayed on a loop was of the Brigadier smirking at the lens. 

“Alistair?” John murmured softly, feeling for the watch in his pocket and sighing at the comforting weight. 

“Finest man I ever met,” an unfamiliar voice said behind him, and John startled when he saw an elderly gentleman stand and stretch from an observation telescope. Wilfred Mott. Call me Wilf. Pleasure to meet you, John.” They shook hands. “Join me in a little stargazing.” John eyed the tumultuous skies and frowned.

“I’ll pass, thanks. Wilf, did you really know Alistair?”

“Oh yeah,” Wilf chuckled, going back to the antique telescope. “Met the Brig back in university, then served together during the Ice Wars. Stayed close friends ‘till he passed. Dragged me along on some of the craziest expeditions, that man. Crazier than a bag full of diseased cats, I was convinced, but he had a good heart and mellowed out with age. Spoke of you often.”

“It’s just that he um, he never mentioned you,” John returned awkwardly, tugging on his ear before adjusting his specs. 

“‘Course he didn’t! Men like us, we can’t let the general public know that Old Money and the military are all but blood brothers now can we?” Wilf scoffed as he threw a dart at a picture of the current U.N.I.T. Head, Major General Scobie, and hit him square on the nose. 

“Uh... Wilf, should I be wondering why I’m here?” John asked politely if not impatiently. Wolf nodded, pointing at a table on the side of the fireplace. There was a wrapped package roughly the size of a brick but longer and wider, more like a novel, there. 

“On the table. It’s for you.” 

“But- but this is from Alistair,” he said said confusedly when he saw the ‘to and from’ writing. 

“Exactly. Brought it to me years ago, told me that if anything were to happen to him that I should give it to you when you were ready. Whatever that means.” Wilf stood and stretched stiff muscles before walking into a small detached kitchenette to whip up a cup of tea. 

John ripped the packaging off with trembling hands and forgot how to breathe. 

“It can’t be,” he whispered as he ran a loving finger over the gilded golden symbol embossed into the crimson hardback cover. “It’s the Codex. _The Triumphs of Rassilon_. But- but this is- but- what, how? Wilf, this is the key to discovering the Lost Planet of Gallifrey!” 

There was an incredulous laugh from the kitchenette. 

“I may look it, but I wasn’t born yesterday, lad!” 

“Nah Nah Nah, Look it’s got start charts, clues, riddles... it’s all here...”

“Reads like gibberish, if you ask me.”

“No nonono. Just- it was written in a dialect which no longer exists.”

“So it’s useless.” 

“No, just difficult. I devoted my entire life to studying every language I could get my hands on, especially if it was Gallifreyan or Old High Gallifreyan. It’s not gibberish to me.” 

“Probably a fake,” Wilf sighed as he reappeared stirring a mug of tea. John glared at him, the golden-edged pages he’d been leafing through snapping closed abruptly as he turned to his host. 

“Mr. Mott, this Codex... Alistair always believed Gallifrey still existed and he knew how much it meant to me to find it one day. He would have known- _I_ would have known, if this were a fake.” John was steadily working himself into more and more of a state, oblivious to Wilf’s smile. “I would stake everything I own on the fact that this is the genuine Codex.” Wilf held up a hand in a placating manner. 

“All right, all right. No need to get in a tither. Now that you’ve got it, what do you wanna do with it then?” 

“I- I’ll get funding, a research grant,” John explained. “U.N.I.T.-”

“It’s not of military importance.”

“I’ll convince them, then. Make them see sense.” Wilf smirked as he settled in an armchair before an oversized interactive star map of the galaxy which cast him in soft silvery light. 

“Like you did this afternoon?” 

“How...? No, never mind,” John muttered as he paced up and down in front of the star map. “I’ll find Gallifrey on my own, even if I have to hitchhike across the galaxy!” He finally noticed that Wilf was pleased and proud. “What?”

“Congrats my boy, that’s exactly the answer I was looking for,” he said amusedly as he leaned forward in his seat. “But forget the towel and babelfish, lad. You’ll travel in style.” With that pronouncement he jabbed a finger down on a previously-concealed button. The top of the coffee table slid back to reveal a holographic projector that turned on and showed a scale model replica of a sleek star liner and its accompanying vehicles and essentials. 

“Whoa,” John murmured as he knelt to get closer to the projection.

“All been arranged, all accounted for.”

“Why...?” 

“The entire time you were growing up all I heard about was Gallifrey this, or Gallifrey that,” Wilf chuckled. “Never seen a man as involved with his children’s hobbies as the Brig was. Now, I didn’t buy any of it for a minute so finally I got fed up and made a bet with him. I said, ‘Alistair if that boy of yours is right then that Codex exists somewhere, and knowing you you’ll go looking for it just to prove him right. If you actually find that so-called Codex, not only will I finance the expedition but I’ll dress in drag and do the hula.” 

Wilf grimaced at a small framed picture on a nearby end table. 

“Ouch,” John murmured as he took in the unflattering apparel. 

“I don’t like thinking about it all that much.” 

“No, I imagine you wouldn’t.” 

“I know Alistair’s gone John, but I’m a man of my word,” Wilf sighed before placing a hand on the offensive picture. “Ah, Gordon. I’m man enough to admit that I even miss how stubbornly infuriating you could be.” He spared a glance for the young man standing awkwardly in front of him. “He was a great man, John. I know you hear that all the time, his being U.N.I.T.’s Golden Boy even dead, but it’s true. But he had his flaws. Everyone does. Deciding to make you his Ward was not one of them.” Wilf made an effort to lighten the mood with a smile. “Let’s make him proud, shall we? We’ve got work to do!” 

“But- but we’d need a crew!” John exclaimed, letting out a slight yelp as Wilf grabbed him by the tie and dragged him over to a desk. 

“Taken care of,” Wilf said proudly as he spread the portfolios out. 

“But- pilots, and engineers, and archeologists and _geologists_ and-”

“Got ‘em all. Best of the best.” He pointed to the first resumé in the pile. “Captain Jack Harkness. Formerly with the Time Agency and Torchwood, now with U.N.I.T. Man has a knack for getting out of tighter spots than Houdini ever could. Watch him, though. He’s a bit of a flirt.” On to the second resumé. “Private Mickey Smith. Don’t let his background of poverty get to ya, he’s forgotten more about computers and engines than we’ll ever know.” The third in the list. “Ace McShane, demolitions expert. She my be a teenager, but she got expelled from school for mixing nitroglycerin in her chemistry class. Same crew that found the Codex,” he added as he pointed to a picture that featured quite a few other people and Alistair himself. 

“Where uh, where was it exactly?” John asked curiously. 

“The CAL Library archives.”

“I knew it!” He shouted, punching a fist into the air. 

“All we need now is an expert in gibberish,” Wilf finished with a knowing smile. John froze, adjusting his specs more securely on his nose, before he began to pace. Wilf shook his head and sat back in his seat. “So, decision time. You can build on the foundation Gordon left you, or you can go back to kissing the boots of your superiors.” 

“This is... this is for real.”

“At last, he’s clever.”

“Okay, I Ah, I need to quit my job...”

“Done. You resigned this afternoon.”

“I- wait, what.”

“Don’t like to leave loose ends.”

“My flat, I need to give notice-”

“Taken care of.”

“My clothes.” 

“Packed.”

“My books?”

“In storage.”

“My dog?” 

“Greetings, Master.” John jumped about five feet in the air and stared at K-9 as the robotic dog rolled into the room, tail wagging. 

“You really thought of everything, didn’t you?” Wilf leaned forward in his seat. 

“My dad had a saying you know, he said that our lives are remembered by the things we leave our children. You may not have been Alistair’s flesh and blood but you were still his son. This is his gift to you,” he said as he handed the temporarily forgotten Codex to its new owner. “Gallifrey awaits. What do you say?”

“I’m your man, Wilfred Mott!” John said excitedly as he ran for the lift, coat fanning out behind him. “You will not regret this.” He stood waiting for the lift to rise and bounced on his heels impatiently. “I’m so excited I can’t- I can’t even hold it in!”


	4. The Expedition Begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All right, everybody. If you’ve watched Classic Who you should know all these people. If you’ve only watched New Who then about half will be unknown, but not to worry. They’re easy to find on the internet. 
> 
> There is exactly one character that neither set might know. This is because she is from the Big Finish Audio Plays. Her name is Evelyne Smythe and she replaces Packard. She travels with the Sixth Doctor and literally bribed her way into the TARDIS by making him chocolate cake and basically mothers him, makes him mind, and has a bright adventurous spirit despite being middle-aged to elderly.

“Pears,” John groaned as he leaned forward in the shuttle and threw up the remainder of his breakfast into the provided disposal bucket. The turbulence spent leaving atmosphere to enter the orbiting space dock always got to him. “Why is it always pears- I didn’t even eat pears...” 

“ _Attention, all hands be advised that we will be docking with the main port in two minutes. I would like to point out that the man who thought it was a brilliant idea to proposition the Android hostess was very brave indeed.”_

The shuttle docked and they disembarked, headed for the starliner they would be serving on. Somewhere along the way John got very lost and turned to the first person he saw for help. 

“Uh, excuse me?” He called. “I’m looking for bay six.” The person just so happened to be River. Her hair was as unruly as ever but she was dressed in a cream leather jacket with skinny jeans, knee-high boots, and a holster for her squareness gun was against her hip. 

“Hello Doctor,” she said teasingly. 

“I- I- I wasn’t aware that- that you were...” he stammered, but was interrupted by a very indignant Scotsman. 

“I’ll have words with you Professor Song,” the man growled as he stalked over holding a jar of cumin.

He even wore a kilt and everything. 

“Hold that thought,” River said to John with a sigh. “What is it this time Jamie?”

“You’ve packed my larder full of- of innecessities!” He exclaimed. “I mean, what even is this? Cinnamon, oregano, cilantro. Have you ever tasted Scottish cuisine, lass? We don’t put hardly anything on top of it!” 

“They’re spices,” River said patiently. Jamie - or rather James McCrimmon, John remembered his file saying - scowled at this. “I just thought we could have some... variety in our diet.” 

“If it cannae carry the flavor on its own it don’t deserve to be called food!” 

“I’ll just... come back later shall I?” John said quietly as he backed away. Neither noticed him. 

After stumbling through a few crowds, nearly falling down an elevator shaft, and getting turned around not once but three times, he finally made it to the correct platform. As he was in a hurry he wasn’t looking where he was going, and as a result he ran smack into a small teenage girl with a puffy leather jacket that had patches stuck all over it and a cart full of silver canisters. 

“Watch it pretty boy, or I’ll run you over!” She shouted. 

“Right, yes, sorry,” he apologized sheepishly before noticing that one of her canisters had fallen out. “Uh, you dropped your uh... mm. ...deodorant bottle?”

“That’s just the casing,” the girl grumped. “It’s called Nitro Nine. I make it myself. Much more powerful than the regular nitroglycerin and could blow your socks off without even trying.” 

“Ah. Right. You must be Ace.”

“Yep!” She smiled brightly. “How’d you know?”

“Well...” he rubbed at the back of his neck and she grinned. 

“Hey, you’re the Professor we’ve got coming with us yeah? The egghead supposed to make all this possible?” 

“I’m a Doctor, actually-” 

“I gotta get this stuff loaded but I’ll see ya later. Bye, Professor!” 

“...It’s Doctor,” John sighed. 

“John!” Wilf called. John turned to see him standing next to another more elderly man and scampered over. “Where you been? I wanted you to meet Colonel Masters. He served under the Brig to get that Codex.” Colonel Koschei Masters was every bit the look that John had imagined when he pictured the Devil incarnate. His ethnicity was a mix of Spanish and something else, noticeably so, and he had deep brown eyes so dark they were almost black, like pools of soul-sucking intent, and well-groomed dark hair with silver streaks wearing their way elegantly through it. He also sported a well-trimmed goatee and beard, the goatee portion having two streaks of white in it perfectly placed to frame the mouth. 

His uniform, while standard U.N.I.T. kit, was entirely black with very few red or chrome metal highlights. 

“Doctor,” he said in a cool and smooth voice. It was like poisoned velvet. “The Brigadier never stopped talking about you. I see you hold the book now. Please try not to lead us all astray, will you?” With that he turned in one fluid motion and boarded the ship. John turned to Wilf uncertainly.

“Umm...?”

“He’s like that with anyone, I wouldn’t be too concerned,” Wilf sighed in response. They both glanced up as the intercom announced the final notice for departure. John hitched his bag higher on his shoulder and smiled at Wilf. 

“Goodbye, Wilf!”

“Bye, John! Make us proud lad!” 

The ship let out an ominous rumble before detaching from the spacedock and before he knew it they were streaking across the stars. John made his way to his designated crew cabin (which was set up to accommodate three people per) and sighed in relief when he spotted that the only available spot left was a bottom bunk. He was a restless sleeper who had fallen out of more top bunks during his existence than he cared to admit. 

Sliding in without bothering to do more with his duffel than drop it next to the bunk he collapsed on the firm surface and reclined contentedly against the pillow. 

Less than a minute later he had a gun shoved in his face.

“Submit before Strax of the Sontaran Empire for your medical examination, girl!” John let out an undignified squeak as he hit the bottom of the bunk above him and turned to see a short, potato-headed Sontaran clone standing before him in full armor. 

“What...?” 

“All personnel must report to me prior to engaging in a sleep cycle aboard this vessel! Hold still while I sample your blood!”

“What!?” 

“Hey hey hey Straxie, relax,” a smooth American voice said. Both John and Strax turned to see a tall, square-jawed man in a long grey WWII trench coat leaning against the doorframe with a smirk. “He’s the new guy. He doesn’t click with the rest of us just yet.”

“That is a weak excuse for disregarding standard embarkation protocol!” 

“I’ll see he gets a thorough work up once his blood pressure comes back down from the ceiling,” the stranger purred. “Now I’m not sure but I think I heard Mickey asking after you.” 

“He did?” Strax gasped. “You should have told me sooner, Harkness!” With that the short potato-like creature stomped off to parts unknown. The newcomer turned back to John and grinned.

“Don’t mind Strax,” he said cheerfully whilst extending his hand to shake. John hastily accepted it. “He’s the team’s nurse for this trip.”

“Where’d he even come from!?” John sputtered. “Last I heard, Sontarans stayed close to their hatch units and didn’t associate with ‘lesser species.’”

“Yeah well, our resident mechanic and hacktivist Mickey Smith saved his life a few years back. Now Sontarans have this life servant clause when it comes to owing people debts for saving their skins, so when Mickey signed up for the job Mr. Potato Head came with him as a sort of package deal.” He eyed John’s incredulous expression and laughed. “Captain Jack Harkness, by the way.” 

“Dr. John Tyler.”

“Tell me Doc, you ever do any... major traveling before today? Gotta say that I’m digging the classy geek vibe you’ve got going but you don’t exactly scream ‘adventurer extraordinaire.’”

“I...” 

“ _Will Doctor John Tyler please report to the Bridge?_ ” A tired-sounding elder woman asked over the intercom system. 

“Oh thank God,” he murmured before his eyes widened at Jack’s smirk. “I mean, ah, nice meeting you.” He fled.

“Pleasure,” Jack chuckled. Strax returned shortly after John was gone. 

“Mickey did _not_ request my presence,” he stated hotly. The captain shrugged. 


	5. The Lair of the Nightmare Child

A/N: In this chapter other languages and telepathy will be introduced. To keep all dialogue coherent, I use different quotation denotations throughout the fanfic. They are as follows:

“ and ” are used for regular, verbal dialogue.

« and » are used for telepathy.

** and ** are used for foreign languages spoken that I do not wish to write out (as some don’t exist and I would rather not create a new language for a few snippets of dialogue).

Additionally, this story takes great liberties and creative license with both a reference to the _Big Finish_ character and story ‘Zagreus’ as well as reference to the Nightmare Child. Neither are accurate to the show, but for my purposes work splendidly. This has been a PSA. 

The ship had reached deep space and was currently cruising toward a general direction when John made it to the Bridge to meet the rest of the team. Strax was glaring at him and Jack was unapologetically flirting with just about everyone in the room, but Professor Evelyn Smythe ignored them all in favor of chatting with her best friend back home. 

She hadn’t exactly signed on to be the ship’s coordinator but she was the only one with the background experience necessary for the job, and what was she supposed to do? Beg the man with Vitraxian Howler Pox to come in to work anyway? No thanks. Besides, the job had some perks. Not everyone was able to keep in contact with the people back home this far out into space. 

“-So I told my students that even the most insignificant thing can be made important, but as far as history lessons go I think that they might have missed- oh, hold on Annabelle. I need to take this.” Evelyn took a sip from her hot cocoa and leaned back slightly in her seat before raising her voice. “Sir? Approaching coordinates for the all-stop.” She then resumed her chat. “Hello, Annabelle? Yes, I’m still here. So for my next lesson I was thinking...”

John paced anxiously about on the Bridge, doing his best to ignore Col. Masters’ intense eyes following his every move like a cobra and failing. 

“Set course to 15 degrees down angle on the zed-plane,” River was instructing the helmsman while they waited for one last person to show up. “Set course at 2-4-0 and then hold steady at mark.” 

“Miss McShane, how kind of you to grace us with your presence?” Masters said sarcastically as Ace trudged up the narrow steps to stand with the rest of the group. She ignored him and went to stand next to Mickey, who grinned at her and whispered something in her ear. “As we have everyone, please give the Doctor your undivided attention as he explains what we’ll be up against.” 

John stepped in front of the holoprojector and smiled nervously. 

“Ah, hello.” He gave a tiny wave that he decided immediately after was stupid and shoved his hands into his pockets. “Can everyone hear me all right?” He got crickets in response and winced, turning to the task at hand. “Right. So, to start off, I suppose it would be a good idea to show you all just what we’ll have to get past.” He ignored the snicker Mickey let out and focused on his work. He always did best when he was focused on his work. 

“So, the first image is a still taken from a recovered Home Box in the midst of the Time War of a weapon of mass destruction so terrifying that it is said it drove even Daleks insane before consuming their souls...” the projector flashed the ‘warm-up’ logo and he groaned, tapping his foot while he waited. “Sorry, Sorry. Should have... checked that first...”

“I used to take lunch money from guys like this,” Ace said to Mickey as she leaned in for a whisper. He smirked. 

“Anyway,” John said a little more loudly than was necessary as the image finally came up. He pointed at a dark mass in the middle of bright light and exploding stars. “You see that? _That_ is an image of the Nightmare Child. It was created for the Battle of the Gates of Elysium before being moved to protect the multiversal nexus located in the Medusa Cascade. Notice how the light is absorbed? It’s nothing. Just the dark.”

“Oil spill in repair bay seven,” Mickey joked. 

“It telepathically scans your worst fears and then makes you live through them before consuming your flesh,” John said calmly. The mechanic paled.

“Oh.” 

“So we find this wonderful creation of a madman’s psyche,” Masters elaborated, nonplussed. River shot him a dirty look and checked that her pistol was primed. “Then what?” 

“When do we destroy the creature?” Strax asked excitedly. 

“Uh... Yeah,” John answered, his voice a tad squeakier than usual as he ruffled his hair with his fingers and somehow managed to turn it into an even greater mess than it had been originally. “So about that, we don’t actually have to destroy it. The Nightmare Child is said to have been obliterated when Davros’ command ship detonated from inside of it. Instead, we have to correctly navigate the rift in the Cascade and without the proper warp jump sequence that will be nearly impossible. Luckily, I have the sequence in the journal. It was a mathematical puzzle but I managed to decode it.” 

“Astrophysicist, stellar cartographer, linguist, mathematician,” River commented sarcastically as she holstered her gun. “Hard to believe he’s still single.” John felt his face heat in embarrassment and cleared his throat to push his glasses farther up his nose. 

“You said there’d be something for me to destroy,” Strax complained quietly. 

“Shut it,” Mickey groaned. 

“Colonel?” The helmsman called nervously. “I think you’d better come take a look at this.”

“Lecture over,” Masters said with a sigh as he went over to investigate. He and River frowned as they peered into the vastness of space. “What is that? Give me exterior illumination.” 

“What happened here?” River asked, terrified awe in her voice. John swallowed as he took in the debris and destruction around them as they floated toward the Cascade. 

“There are ships here from every major civilization across the universe,” he croaked. Everyone stilled as a soft, eery groan echoed throughout the ship. 

“Colonel?” Evelyn called. “I think you should hear this.”

**Escape the jaws of the Nightmare Child and you will see the Cascade of Medusa opened before you,** John read in the chiming, lyrical language of Old High Gallifreyan from the Codex before repeating it in basic for the benefit of Colonel Masters. Evelyn’s repeated calls for attention were left momentarily unanswered. He was responding to a question that River had asked and she didn’t look particularly reassured. 

“Colonel?” Evelyn asked again.

“What is it now, Professor Smythe?” Masters sighed. 

“I’m not picking up any readings on the communications array, but someone’s still speaking,” she said pointedly and then indicated that flat EM wavelength. 

“Ah, that’s not good,” the man muttered as the soft singing continued. “Are you sure it isn’t registering?”

“I’ve tripled checked. There’s nothing.”

“It could be a signal buoy relaying a last distress recording,” River muttered as she adjusted the equipment. Evelyn rolled her eyes.

“If you want to do my job, be my guest. It wasn’t even mine to begin with. By all means, continue.” River glared at her but didn’t reply. 

«Zagreus sits inside your head, Zagreus lives among the dead. Zagreus sees you in your bed and eats you while you’re sleeping,» the singing voice suddenly whispered in a childish, gleeful tone. Cold fear seeped into the hearts of the crew as nightmares thought long-gone began to plague the edges of their waking minds. «I was fashioned after the legends of Zagreus by those who fear him and now know for what reason he was feared,» it hissed. 

“I- I think it’s speaking in our minds,” John murmured with a shudder. Abruptly, the singing cut off and they were left with deafening silence. 

“At least it’s gone now?” River whispered, the calm in her tone not doing anything to mask her fear. 

“It’s still out there somewhere,” Masters commented mildly before the entire ship pitched to the side. The voice suddenly came back in full force, shouting. 

«Zagreus seeks the hero’s ship, Zagreus needs the web to rip, Zagreus sups Time at a drip and life aside, he’s sweeping!» 

The craft shuddered once more and jerked wildly backward, the artificial gravity failing. Complete blackness covered the expanse of the viewport and the ship rolled, flinging several people onto the ceiling. 

“Tell Jamie we’re having extraterrestrial calamari tonight for supper,” Masters barked at River.

“Load the torpedoes and set the blast pattern! Send out the fighters!” River shouted at the crew. “Battle stations!” John groaned as he landed heavily on the exoglass and let out a yelp when a set of pearly white teeth flashed brightly in his peripheral. Utter pandemonium ensued.

“It’s still _alive_ ,” he gasped in horrified wonder before scrambling and slipping on the glass to get as far away from the ebony maw as possible. 

Down in engineering, Mickey was doing his best to get his crew out of the danger zone as the duraplate hull continued to crack. He shouted as the pressure gave way and sucked several of his people out into the vacuum of space, forced to enable the emergency shields on the safe side of the door. 

Back on the Bridge, Masters was firing off orders quicker than anyone was able to get them done. The fighters had sped out into the void of space to fire blindly at the inky darkness of the Nightmare Child, Ace and Strax manning a two-seat Brawler Class and blasting for all they were worth. The creature let out an almighty shriek inside their minds and swept off away from the cruiser. 

“We’re free!” Col. Masters barked. “Ahead full! Fire the torpedoes!” 

“Firing torpedoes!” The Operations officer repeated. Bright blasts of light burst through the blackness and lit up the colorless mass directly ahead of them. 

Engineering began experiencing even more problems as sparks shot out of every single piece of equipment they had. 

“Get me the Bridge!” Mickey shouted as he dove underneath a desk. A large, long snake of ebony appeared out of nowhere and slammed into the side of the ship. When it pulled back they saw that it resembled a tentacle. 

“Sir, Engineering on Com 4,” Evelyn said hurriedly as she dumped her cocoa into a thermos and began packing the items at her station away into an oversized tote bag, ignoring the chaos around her as she did so. 

“ _Masters!_ ” Mickey shouted. The man in question winced. “ _That thing took a large chunk out of the hull down here and we can’t get to the major systems! I don’t want to be around when the core shielding goes critical!_ ”

“How much time do we have?”

“ _Twenty minutes if the emergency force fields hold_.” There was a pause as something exploded. “ _Better make that five._ ” 

“Right, you heard the man,” Masters shouted. “Move!”

“Move!?” John squeaked as he was shoved forward by an Ensign. “Move where!?” 

“Smythe, sound the alarm,” River barked. The woman in question held up a finger to wait. 

“Yes, Annabelle? Can you call the university and let them know I’ll be cancelling classes for the rest of the semester?”

“ _ **SMYTHE!**_ ” 

“No, don’t bother calling back darling. I’ll call you,” Evelyn muttered before flicking on the ship-wide intercom. “All hands, abandon ship.” 

Meanwhile, John was thrown into a small secondary craft located in a nearby docking bay and used for Bridge crew evacuation. It was tight and barely held himself, Mickey, and Jack in the seats even as River shot past them to slide into the pilot’s chair. 

“Move it, people! Sometime today would be nice!” She shouted. “Now grab a seat and buckle in.”

“Professor, get us out of here!” Masters growled from the secondary pilot’s position. River began struggling with the detachment lever. “ _Professor!”_

“I’m working on it!” Another tendril shot out and barreled into the starliner, and she gave up with her hands to kick it as hard as she could. The lever shifted and John felt his stomach climb into his throat as they rapidly dropped down a shaft to be spit out into the void of space. Explosions rocked them at every turn and he was reminded vividly of upper atmosphere shuttle turbulence. The cruiser exploded in a fiery ball of plasma behind them as they fled toward the general direction of the journal’s coordinates. The fighter ships and two other evacuation vessels were directly behind them. 

“Where to, Doctor!?” Masters asked tensely. 

“You won’t be able to miss it,” John gasped back as he willed himself not to throw up. “It’s a brilliant anomaly of shifting color. Aim for the brightest part at the center.”

“There!” Masters directed; River followed his line of sight and nodded as the most beautiful spacial anomaly appeared in the viewport. 

“Everyone follow directly in my wake,” River called over the inter-ship comm. 

“ _Understood_ ,” someone said. 

“ _But a Sontaran never flees from a fight!_ ” Strax yelled. There was a loud thud. 

“ _We’re following on your tail_ ,” Ace growled. 

More of the tendrils exploded out to grab at the fighters and evacuation shuttles.

“ _We’re getting killed it here!_ ” Another crew member exclaimed, voice thick with panic. 

“ _Look out!_ ” 

They kept rocketing toward the Medusa Cascade. John lost the battle with the contents of his stomach and threw up as they slipped through the rip in reality. Harkness patted him on the back and Mickey groaned before quickly following after. 

Blinding white light streaked past their craft and the ride smoothed out. When they emerged on the other side with a third of their expeditionary force they were greeted with a vast nothingness. No stars, no refractionary lights. Still, they were moving too fast, and before anyone could make a move for the controls the crafts got pulled into the gravity of the rapidly-approaching orange planet ahead. It was orbiting two suns and two moons of greatly-varying sizes orbited the planet, which had thin rings of dust and rock caught in its metallic field. 

“It’s beautiful,” Jack breathed. He nudged John, who had hunched over with his head between his knees. At the insistent prodding he looked up, jaw dropping in amazement. 

“Oh, wow.”

“Looks completely deserted,” River grunted as they passed into a quadrant of night completely devoid of light sources. “Scanners aren’t detecting any life signs.” She frowned. “I can’t even see any cities...” 

“Uh...” John rifled through his satchel and pulled out the Codex. “Ah. The 400 Sky Trenches shield the Shining Jewel of the Seventh System from prying eyes, but for a closer look the surface calls across waves of glass and the blinding heat of the twin stars.”

“That’s... poetic,” Mickey replied uncertainly. John shrugged. 

“It’s a rough translation.” 

“I do detect the presence of massive planetwide fortifications,” River admitted. “This is going to be a tough nut to crack... unless... Ah.” She glanced over at Masters, who was eyeing the planet hungrily, before pointing at the readout. “There’s a natural weakness in the shielding at these coordinates, sir.” 

“Take us down, Professor.” 

^\\\|//^

The weakness allowed them to punch a hole through the shielding, but they were perplexed when it immediately sealed itself right after. Mickey muttered a comment about self-repairing securities and nearly hit his head on the low ceiling bouncing in his seat with excitement over that particular feat of engineering. 

Unfortunately, this meant that they were encased in a small impenetrable field bubble that forced them to land amongst the ruins of what appeared to be an ancient temple on the edges of a desert. It was night when they landed, and they quickly disembarked their craft to check the extent of their losses. When this proved to be significant they scheduled a memorial ceremony two hours after that allowed them to pull out their terrestrial vehicles and supplies.

“It’ll let land gear through but not space gear,” Mickey muttered in astounded confusion as he read what the scanners were telling him. “That is so weird...”

“Maybe it’s a failsafe,” John suggested. “This Codex makes serious mention of achievements and trials. The Trials of Rassilon, they’re called. I don’t doubt that we’re elected to pass them before gaining access to Gallifrey’s most closely guarded secret.” 

“...Mm...”

The memorial was short and to the point. A few candles were lit and set on the somewhat intact alter of the temple and Colonel Masters spoke. 

“Seven hours ago, we set out with two hundred of the finest people I’ve ever had the privilege to serve with,” he started somberly, but while the tone was heartfelt John got a sense of indifference from his depthless eyes. “At one-third capacity, this means we need to double-shift and take on duties that we wouldn’t normally do. Understood?” 

A general murmur among those assembled.

“Good. Let’s move. I want to get going across this desert before the suns rise and bake us alive.”

“He’s a cheery one,” John muttered mostly to himself as they began getting underway. 

“I’m honestly not sure what I expected,” River sighed. “He’s never been touchy-feely. All that aside, I’d rather trek over the sand in freezing temperatures than in extreme heat. Should make it to the next checkpoint in two days, that is if we don’t hit a sandstorm.”

“We’re going to die,” Evelyn moaned. John grimaced and then, when most everyone had moved off, knelt beside the candles to deliver a quick prayer. He wasn’t exactly the religious sort, but they deserved some sort of closure.


	6. Convoy

River took charge of getting everyone organized while Colonel Masters supervised to make sure it went smoothly. He soon noted the sound of an alarm being tripped and rolled his eyes before going to investigate. Standing next to the door with a sheepish expression was John. 

“Are you authorized to run this kind of vehicle?” He asked dryly. John stared at him, wide-eyed.

“What?”

“Can you steer a shuttle?” Masters simplified. John nodded, leaning against the door and yelping when it slid back into the frame so that he collapsed onto the seat. 

“Of course!” He defended, dusting himself off and hopping behind the wheel. “Steering, power, and... this... pad... thing...”

“You mean the brakes?”

“I... take public transit. But I have a license! I’m an incredible driver, you’ll see!" 

He was not, as he put it, an incredible driver. 

^\\\|//^

They sped across the sands as fast as possible (John’s shuttle got handed over to someone else and he was sulking in the back of Jamie’s provisions shuttle among the sausages) without much problem, sleeping during the day and driving all throughout the frigid night, until they came upon two entrances to underground catacombs. One of them was supposed to hold a dangerous being in it and the other was supposed to be clear. The Codex would explain which was which.

John chose the one with the Raston Warrior Robot inside of it and no amount of apologizing afterward could get him back in everyone’s good graces. 

Dark caverns with old bones held strange sounds and the perpetual fear for those who believed in hauntings. Some of the recruits even mentioned that they thought they saw glowing golden eyes in the darkness once or twice, but John was adamant that the book was leading them in the right direction. 

They were on a rest period. John had just rinsed his face and hair and had decided he needed to touch up on his deodorant. Unthinkingly, he grabbed a canister and began shaking. A loud shout made him drop it in surprise and Ace dove to catch it before it hit the tunnel floor.

“Watch it, Professor! This stuff really kicks!” She huffed. John’s eyes had gone wide and his face ashen when he’d realized what had almost happened. Noticing this, she saw an opportunity and beckoned Jack a little closer. “You didn’t apply any of that, did you?”

“Maybe- maybe a little bit,” he stuttered, swallowing nervously. 

“Right. Don’t go around an open flame for at least forty-eight hours, okay? Or you might go-”

“Hey guys what’s up?” Jack said casually as he sauntered over with a cigarette in hand. 

“Might go _what!?_ ” John yelped, jumping back as Jack lit a match for his cig. 

“BOOM!” Ace shouted loudly right next to his ear. He practically hit the high ceiling of the tunnel. “Oh relax, civvie. Get a sense of humor.” 

She and Jack walked off together cackling after the Captain had given up the pretense of wanting a smoke, dropping the thing back into his pocket and snuffing out the match in the soft dirt of the floor. John stared after them, heart racing. 

Some of the tunnels were large and cavernous while others were so small they could barely squeeze the shuttles through. Right rock formations made for steep climbing and no one seemed particularly interested in helping him navigate them despite the fact that he needed it. While they chatted beside the fire at rest period John sat off to the side and poured over the contents of the Codex, desperately trying to decode it more thoroughly before they ran into another problem like they’d had at the catacomb entrances. 

On their sixth day underground the road they’d been traveling on cut off abruptly. A large ravine had opened up as a river had cut through the rock at a steady, determined pace over the thousand or two years it had been running there (if not more). On either side of this yawning gap stood two massive stone pillars. They were carved intricately with delicate design that had withstood the erosion of time and John marveled over them.

“They’re _huge!_ ” He gushed. “I mean, absolutely enormous. Can you imagine how incredible they must have been back when-”

“Clear!” Mickey shouted. The pillar on the left exploded at the base and Ace walked up to stand beside him. She smirked. “Not bad if I do say so myself.”

“But- but- you just- and it-” 

“It’s a _rock_ , Doctor,” River sighed. “Look, as the archaeologist on this team trust me. These things are a dime a dozen in old burial sights.”

“It’s still _history_ though,” he grumbled morosely, trudging dutifully along. 

They saw more golden eyes staring out at them in the dark and banded more closely together for a while, the convoy congesting in case there was trouble. None came though (unless one counted the completely flooded antechamber they had to pass through) and they made it to the collapsed building blocking their path with ease.

“Not more delays,” Masters murmured with a pinch to the bridge of his nose. “McShane, What are the chances you could blow this apart?” 

“Not good,” Ace sighed as she popped a piece of gum in her mouth. She nudged John hard in the ribs. “That stuff makes a very large BOOM but it can’t work miracles.” 

“Oh shove off,” John growled softly. Ace smirked. 

“I’m running low, is the bottom line. Don’t want to waste it on something ineffective anyway.”

“It looks like we’ll be turning to the expertise of our resident Sontaran,” Masters replied. 

“I have incendiary missiles primed and ready for release sir,” Strax said excitedly, coming to stand in a ramrod posture as he hefted the rocket launcher onto his shoulder. It was already charging for release, and everyone nearby hit the floor just before it went off. The rubble wasn’t even existing by the time he was through with it. 

“Homicidal Mr. Potato Head,” John whimpered as Jack helped him to his feet. “Where- where did the rocket-”

“I have no idea bud,” Jack sighed. “These people are nuts.” 

^\\\|//^

A few days later one of the trucks broke down. John, who had been wandering about camp looking for something to do to make himself useful, heard cursing and found Mickey underneath the hood of the engine of a shuttle. 

“Need some help?” Mickey looked him over and snorted. 

“Nah mate, let the professionals do their thing.” He groaned as a part snapped in his fingers. “I’m gonna need to pull a spare from one of the more beat up models.”

“But-”

“Touch that engine, and I end you,” Mickey warned. John frowned before peering inside. Seeing what the problem was, he grinned widely and pulled out his sonic screwdriver. Seconds later the shuttle was purring.

“Hey! What’d you do?” Mickey exclaimed as he came running back. John sniffed and leaned against the side of the vehicle, tossing the cylindrical tube with the blue tip and putting on an affected air.

“Reversed the polarity of the neutron flow,” he said casually. “Not too difficult with a sonic screwdriver. You know, I should really patent this thing...”

“Shut up,” Mickey retorted as he slammed the lid closed and roughly knocked John’s shoulder as he walked past. John stared after him for a few moments before glancing at the ground and scuffing it with the tip of a worn Chuck. 

It was after two weeks of living in underground caverns that they stumbled upon a spacious preparation room. There was a large brazier in the ceiling that seemed to glow with ethereal energy.

“Is that going to be like that all night long?” Ace groaned.

“I could through a grenade at it to remove it if anyone would wish,” Strax suggested. This was met with emphatic negatives and he sulked. 

“I think it’s a rift in the time Vortex,” John explained. “A small one, so it won’t mess with our equipment, but still. That light it the raw energy of Time.”

“It’s going to keep me up all night is what it’s going to do,” Ace sighed.


	7. Friends

Later that rest period Jamie came ‘round to the fire proudly carrying his Scottish cuisine. Of course, every single item seemed to be purposefully abnormal from what the rest of them were used to eating.

“Here we go,” he exclaimed as he passed the dishes to the group whilst simultaneously appearing unaware of their skeptical expressions. “Crappie heid, Cullen skink, Kedgeree, and Powsowdie.” 

“Ugh,” Ace murmured as she stared at her portions. 

“But I wanted the Kedg-” Strax began. Ace shoved her tray at him. 

“Knock yourself out.”

“Aye Doctor, at that book again?” Jamie asked as he came over to where John was sitting. John glanced up over the top of his specs and nodded, expression turning slightly horrified as Jamie set down a tray. “Well, I saved the haggis special for you,” he said proudly. 

“Ah... thanks Jamie, it looks... delicious,” John said uncertainly. Jamie beamed. 

“I’ve got another one then, it’s yours,” he said as he dropped it on the tray before his victim could stutter a protest. “You’re too skinny for words, y’know. Like a special effect. If I were to give you a hug, I’d come back with a million paper cuts ya matchstick man.”

“Uh...” John whimpered as he stared at the impending meal. 

“We’ve been pretty tough on the Doc,” Jack commented mildly as he picked apart his food looking for the most recognizable ingredients. 

“Yeah I guess,” Ace sighed good-naturedly. “And it really wasn’t his fault with that tunnel mix-up. Not like we could have done any better.” She leaned back on the rock she was sitting on and raised her voice. “Hey, Professor! Come and sit with us!” John’s head jerked up from the Codex and he looked like a startled colt. 

“Really?” He gasped. 

“Yeah, why not. It’s not like there aren’t enough rocks to sit on or anything.” The grin they got back lit up the universe as he picked up the Codex and his unwanted food and went to join them. 

“Thanks. I uh. I never really get included in anything, so...” he rambled as he sat down. Jack, who had been about to play a practical joke, abruptly decided against it at the vulnerable look on the scientist’s face. “I’ve never... really fit in. Anywhere. So this is eh, this is nice.” 

“Doc, do you ever close that book?” Mickey asked when he noticed that John had the Codex balanced on his knee.

“Yeah, you must have read it at _least_ a dozen times by now,” Evelyn commented. She was pushing her food around but not daring to try it. 

“I know, but- there’s a passage that doesn’t make sense no matter how many times I go over it,” John murtered as he pushed his spectacles higher on his nose and frowned. “See, this passage here, it’s talking about the Eye of Harmony which seems to be the power source everyone is talking about. But then...” he flipped the page. “It cuts off. Like there’s a missing page.” 

“Mate, _relax,_ ” Mickey urged. “We don’t get paid overtime, all right?”

“I know,” John sighed. “I know. I’ve just... I’ve always been one for the puzzle, the adventure.” He leaned forward suddenly, brown eyes shining behind his specs. “Now there’s a thought. Why are all of you here then?”

“Money,” they all said at exactly the same time. John deflated a little.

“...Right. Set myself up for that one.” He rubbed at the back of his neck. 

“Do you require medical readjustment of your spine?” Strax said suddenly. John straightened abruptly. 

“No, nonono. It’s just a nervous tic I swear-”

“A tick? Where? I shall eradicate it!”

“No!” The rest of the group watched with a collective wince as Strax chased after him wielding a sinister-looking medical device. 

“...That’s gonna leave a mark,” Jack breathed when they heard a loud _whack._ John came limping back to the group with a large red welt at the base of his neck a few minutes later, Strax escorting him like a snack-sized body guard. “You okay Doc?”

“...Ow.” 

“Don’t pay him any mind,” Mickey suggested sympathetically. “He’s not used to dealing with humans. It’s only because I’m here that he interacts with us at all.”

“Yeah, how’s that work anyway?” John asked. Mickey shrugged.

“I was raised in the refugee slums during the Ice War. My gran was a strict woman and we didn’t have a lot, so one day I’m on my way home from my job at the local mechanic’s when I see a gang riot start up. She got caught in the skirmish and somebody blinded her. A U.N.I.T. soldier noticed me standing there and took pity on me. Drafted, I was sixteen. About two years later I save this one’s life,” he finished gesturing to Strax. 

“No kidding.” 

“No joke.” 

“Anyone for seconds?” Jamie asked as he sidled over on his rounds. He was met with almost desperate reassurances that one serving was more than enough. “Ah that’s fine. It’ll keep ‘till tomorrow.”

“Thank God I lot my sense of taste years ago,” Evelyn reflected. She dumped her tray directly onto the fire and everyone else quickly followed suit. “Now, I’ve got pouch rations for deep space in my bag. Anyone game?”

“I swear that bag is trans-dimensional,” John muttered.

They were pitching their camp for the rest period and John was... struggling.

“Is that supposed to be a tent?” Mickey asked incredulously. John glanced at the disaster that looked more like a clothesline with a blanket on it and nodded sheepishly. “Let me.” 

“Thanks. I haven’t been camping since I was a boy,” he admitted, clutching his sleeping bag to his chest. “Not since I went with the Brig and Kate.”

“I never met the Brigadier,” Ace said quietly as she sat on her sleeping bag and toed off her boots. “What was he like?” It didn’t escape John’s notice that the entire group had fallen silent as they waited for his reply. Mickey finished up with the tent and John began spreading his sleeping bag out before lying stomach-down on it and propping himself up on his elbows. 

“I know that there’s all these... myths surrounding him,” he began carefully, “but he was jut a normal man. He never wanted to be anyone’s poster boy but U.N.I.T. didn’t exactly give him a choice.” He paused for a moment and laughed. 

“What?” Ace asked, amused. “What’s so funny?”

“I just- one time, I skipped out of school and he marched himself down there in full uniform with me hanging from his grip by the arm,” John explained. “He told me that my education was precious and that I shouldn’t be ashamed of being smart. I told him that I was bullied for it. The next day he sat down and ate lunch with me in the cafeteria. No one dared bother me again.”

“What was your relationship with him?” Mickey asked. “‘Cause I’ve heard the gossip but nothing ever really stuck.”

“My mum and dad died when I was a little kid so he became my ward. When he had Kate I was so happy to be a big brother, but this boy at school told me orphans couldn’t have new siblings. He and his wife adopted me that same year on my birthday...” John trailed off, glancing at Ace. “Say, Ace, I don’t mean to pry but, aren’t you a little young to be the demolitions expert on this type of expedition?”

“Yes, yes I am,” Ace agreed. “But my home life wasn’t exactly... I was four when my dad split because my mum was sleeping with another bloke. Didn’t even know he took my baby brother Liam with him until I met the kid last year. Anyway, I had what you could call a rebellious childhood. Got expelled from school for blowing up the chemistry lab when I mixed and perfected my Nitro 9.”

“You’re barely sixteen!” John exclaimed. Ace smirked. 

“I know. Wicked, isn’t it?” they were interrupted as Evelyn trudged through the camp wearing a bathrobe and a sleeping mask. 

“Forget your jammies Professor Smythe?” John asked. 

“I sleep in my robe thank you,” she retorted contritely.

“It’s best not to ask,” Ace suggested as John opened his mouth to do just that. He closed it with a snap. 

“Not much to tell about me,” Jack said matter-of-factly as he laid back on his bag with his arms behind his head. 

“Ignore Captain Cheesecake’s ‘dark and mysterious’ act mate,” Mickey snickered. Jack opened one eye into a slit to glare at him. 

“Just remember that you asked for it Mickey Mouse,” he growled playfully before explaining. “I was a part of Torchwood’s Time Agency when it started up seven years ago, but their pay wasn’t all that great. I did some moonlighting for U.N.I.T. a couple of times and when Torchwood had a government-ordered disband four years ago they offered to take me on full time. I figured, ‘hey it’s money and I get to travel into space, why not.’” 

“That can’t be all,” John argued. A shadow passed over Jack’s face.

“I have a lot of things back home I’m running from that I’d rather forget, okay?”

“...Yeah.” 

A loud banging noise interrupted them and they turned to see Strax erecting a small tank-like dome to step into before it sealed itself off.

“I know how the two of you got here, but why...?” John started to ask. Instant groans and shouts to stop interrupted him. 

“Trust me, you do _not_ want to know,” Jack said vehemently, pointing to each of the two people he was talking to in turn. “Mickey, don’t tell him. You shouldn’t have told me but you did, so now I’m telling you, you don’t want to know.” 


	8. Dinosaurs!

_Arkytior wandered through the encampment of the strange newcomers, the Chancellery Guard a few steps behind her. Per her request they were all garbed in skins tailored to look like wolves with the slits in the eyes and mouth pulled over their faces covered in a thin film to make them opaque. The light from their White Point Stars made these slits glow golden and the white wolf at the front wanted it no other way._

_These people appeared to be human, though it was hard to tell by watching the, from a distance. Arkytior hissed at her Guard to stay put (despite their protests, they listened to their Alpha female) and crept closer still until she was standing among what appeared to be personal luggage all gathered up in one great big pile. She selected a bag at random and shifted through it with mild annoyance at the almost sterile lack of personal effects before she alighted on an antique pocket watch. It had a beautiful design carved into its silver surface and when she opened it she paused to run a finger delicately over the picture of a boy and a man in military uniform smiling at each other. They looked... close. Happy._

_Rocks clattered nearby and Arkytior scrambled away on silent feet, racing for the safety of the darkness._

^\\\|//^

John yawned as he stumbled through the darkness with the Codex in hand. He’d had a breakthrough on one of the translations and wanted to get it done that night, but if he were too close to the camp the light from his torch would wake someone up. So he walked closer to the tear in the time Vortex above his head and absently flipped through the pages, slowing with a feeling of dread as the movement of the pages seemed to affect the fissure. It pulsated with each page turn until it opened wide and there was a moment of tense silence before creatures looking terrifyingly like Pterodactyls began pouring out of it shrieking up a storm. 

Almost dropping the book with fright, John let out a yelp and ran back toward camp. He grabbed up his satchel with the personal effects in it on his way and shoved the book inside.

^\\\|//^

“Dinosaurs!” A voice screamed as the sound of running feet echoed through the camp.

“Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs! Dinosauuurrrrrrrsssss!” It sounded distinctly like a certain annoying Doctor. 

Col. Masters groaned as he glanced at his watch and pulled the flap to his tent open.

“I’m going to end him,” he growled to himself before raising his voice. “Doctor, go back to bed-” he started to say before freezing. There really wasn’t anything he could do except stare as giant reptilian-looking flying creatures strafed his people from above, shrieking in high-pitched cries. More were still pouring from the now-open rift.

“Get the plasma rifles!” River was shouting. “Shoot them down!”

“Belay that!” Masters barked. “Take the shuttles and move into the tunnels. Move, move!” 

John ran after a shuttle in progress and saw Ace shouting frantically for him, an arm held out to catch him, and he sped up to take a running leap. He barely caught the edge of the shuttle and felt two deceptively strong hands grab the back of his extra long coat to haul him further inside.

“You okay Professor?” She rasped. He nodded, breathless. They were traveling at high speed across an old worn-down stone bridge when the supports gave out and, slowly, one by one they began moving backwards. They hit a rough, steep incline and skidded ever farther into the darkness before there was a tremendous crash and all went silent.

^\\\|//^

A bright match lit the darkness as it illumined Masters’ face. 

“Who’s not dead? I need a count!” He shouted. The match burnt out against his thumb pad and he hissed at the heat as groaned started up all around him.

“Blasted lizards went for my rear!” Jamie complained. “You’re lucky I was wearing my kilt, because if that thing took a chunk out of my posterior it would have made it much more simple to patch up!”

“That is _way_ more information than I wanted to know sweetie,” River muttered. 

A few moments later Masters smiled with dark satisfaction as he managed to get the lights to one of the shuttles operable, casting them in dim but usable light.

“Mr. Smith, I need a damage assessment.”

“We’ve totaled Shuttles 2 and 7 but the Drill looks like it should run,” he called back, rubbing at his hindquarters with a wince. “Lucky for us we landed in something soft.”

“It’s ash,” Jack explained, looking around. “Lots of it, too. If I had to hazard a guess I’d say we were standing at the base of a dormant venting system. Maybe it powered a generator or something a long time ago, I don’t know.” He began exploring their closest surroundings and grinned. “Oh, this _was_ a vent. When starships would lift off from an internal hangar the heat of the engines would be channeled down here.”

“Meaning there’s a potential hangar full of potentially-operable ships above us?” Mickey asked hopefully. River shrugged, loading her flare gun and shooting it upwards. 

“That is _insanely_ high up,” she whistled appreciatively as the spark kept traveling upwards. It hit what was obviously a blocked bent and sputtered out. 

“Yeah, I did say ‘the base of,’ Jack snorted. “This was designed to store massive amounts of hot air, most likely to be used for steam power later on. See it all the time in advanced civilizations that keep their cultural decor more simplistic.”

“I use excess steam all the time for my cocoa,” Evelyn muttered with a grimace, obviously thinking about how a cup of just that beverage sounded heavenly at present.

“Yeah. The only problem is that the readings show that this area is charged to the brim with temporal particulates.” 

“Are you saying that a direct spark would send us all up to kingdom come?” Ace asked nervously as she hitched her rucksack higher onto her shoulder.

“Nah, that would take at least twelve tons of energy release,” Jack reassured her. They all glanced at Strax, who had his shoulder-launching incendiary missile launcher half-way assembled for use. He glanced up at the rest of them and frowned, disappointed.

“So this means I _can’t_ blow it up then,” he sighed dejectedly as he began packing his gear away again. 

“Why did you even bring that _with you!?_ ” Mickey groaned.

“If we could direct a series of high-energy plasma rounds up there it should vaporize the vent,” Masters considered speculatively, ignoring them. “Doctor, what do you think?” He turned, becoming more annoyed than concerned when the man in question came up missing. “Doctor? Doctor Tyler!”

John came to with a serious migraine and what he felt for sure were several cracked ribs. Blood was oozing from a deep cut on his upper right chest just below the collarbone and he knew he had to move, he really, did, but it hurt too much. As his vision cleared he started. Standing in front of him were humanoid wolf-creatures with glowing eyes and gaping, bright-colored mouths. They were murmuring amongst themselves in a familiar-sounding tongue, the tip of a spear gently touching his spectacles’ frames as he reared back against a boulder and whimpered both in pain and fear. 

A white wolf moved gracefully through the pack to crouch on its long hind legs in front of him, the others falling into obedience behind. Its muzzle drew closer to inspect his wound (or maybe to smell and determine if he’d be a good meal or not), and John reared back again. He yelped as pain shot through his body and he pressed his left palm to the gash, drawing away his hand to find that it was coated in fresh blood. He hadn’t been out long then if it hadn’t clotted yet. 

The wolf drew back slightly and he gasped as its hand lifted the muzzle up to reveal a distinctly human-looking face underneath. The wolf furs were just costumes, then. He relaxed slightly. 

John’s first impression of this young woman was that she was a goddess. Kind whiskey-colored golden-brown eyes that were a bit larger than average regarded him in a narrow yet rounded face. A slightly button nose sat above attractively pouted lips and this angelic face was framed by rich golden hair that fell well past her shoulders to perhaps the lower back. It curled gently with a natural wave and seemed to shimmer against creamy skin. Two dark eyebrows raised in amusement at his reaction and-

...Was it his imagination or did this goddess among mortals _wink_ at him from under thick, long eyelashes? 

Her lips were painted the faintest light pink and a glowing diamond hung from a chain around her neck, but it was her eyes that John came back to. 

They were at once ageless yet youthful, full of fire and mischief but tempered by wisdom and intelligence, and he wanted to get lost in them. 

It took an almost embarrassingly long amount of time for him to notice that one of her hands was glowing with golden light before she pressed it against his wounds. 

Aside from a brief heat, the pain disappeared rapidly until the cut was turned back to unmarred flesh and his ribs no longer felt like they were made of broken glass. As for his headache... this mystery woman took his breath away and he was feeling lightheaded.

Sharp, dull explosions rocked the side of the cave wall and this goddess abruptly replaced the face mask of her wolf attire before she and her ‘pack’ fled from sight. Groaning slightly, John scrambled to his feet and took off in pursuit over uneven rocky terrain in terribly dim light.

“Hey, wait!” He shouted, desperately wanting to see her again. To see her smile at him once more. “Who- who are you!? Where are you going? Come back! Hey, wait a minute!” His voice echoed on the last plea as he hit a smaller opening that he struggled to get through, and once he did he was temporarily blinded by the light from twin suns.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone curious, the Pterodactyl-like creatures are called Vortisaurs. If you don’t know what those are, I am providing a link to the Fandom Wiki page: https://tardis.fandom.com/wiki/Vortisaur


	9. Welcome to the City of Arcadia

John found himself standing on rich red grass under a burnt orange sky, the heat of the twin suns beating down on his shoulders as a warm, dry breeze ruffled his impossibly messy hair. He felt his breath catch when he spotted a gleaming city in the distance. It was encased in a large, clear dome with tall spires punching into the sky and was situated firmly between two snow-capped mountain peaks. They had been traveling steadily up the entire time they’d been underground, and now they were at the end of a sort of valley high in the range. Small creatures darted about everywhere and within the dome he could easily see flying transport zipping back and forth. 

A low rumble behind him went largely unnoticed because he was too busy drinking in the scenery, but the excavation shuttle broke through the mountainside behind him and the rest of his team came stalking out only to freeze and gape in astonishment.

“Whoa,” Jamie breathed as he slapped a heavy hand down on John’s shoulder, making him jump. 

“That is... wow,” Ace whispered.

“Doc, gotta hand it to ya,” Jack said with a smile. “You really came through.” They all turned sharply at the soft growling and sound of falling rocks behind them to see a pack of humanoid wolves descend from an ambush point and block their return to more sheltered places. “I can take that back though if these guys try anything.” 

“And just what are these... things?” Masters snarled in disgust as he eyed them up. The creatures’ frames stiffened as the smaller white wolf threaded her way through once again. 

“They’ve gotta be Gallifreyans!” John exclaimed excitedly, his gaze fixed on the white wolf as he mentally willed her to remove her mask. 

“Not possible,” River stated definitively with a shake of her head. “This planet is all desert and they’d need outside resources to survive.”

“Uh, hydroponics?” Jamie cut in snidely. “Could be all underground.” The white wolf strode forward and began speaking quickly in an almost haunting, chiming language. 

“I think this beast is speaking to the linguist,” Strax decided as he shoved John roughly forward. John glared at the Sontaran and adjusted his glasses before stepping forward again. He took a deep breath before replying to her in halting modern Gallifreyan. He forgot how to breathe again as the golden goddess removed her wolf covering once more and fixed him with non-terrestrially gorgeous eyes. She was looking impressed as she continued speaking more slowly, changing language halfway through to test if he’d catch on. He did, switching to Venusian and gaining confidence in speaking a language that wasn’t dead. 

Glancing over his shoulder, this woman smirked slightly before changing to Sontaran. 

Strax strode forward abruptly, a gleeful expression on his face. 

“They speak my language,” he exclaimed before stalking over to the Gallifreyan. She leaned down to listen and frowned before hauling back and punching him right in the face, sending him sprawling. Several people clapped behind John and he suppressed a snort of laughter only to wonder if he was experiencing a heart attack when she winked at him mischievously.

“I like her,” Jack laughed. 

“Yeah,” Ace sighed somewhat regretfully. “‘Bout time someone hit him. Just sorry it wasn’t me.” 

The Gallifreyans behind their Alpha removed their head coverings as well to reveal an all male group, most likely guard based on their build and armaments, and they spoke hesitantly to the newcomers in various tongues.

“Professor, how do they know all these languages?” Ace asked. John beamed.

“Their species ruled the universe and some of the parallel ones when it came to trans-temporal travel,” he explained. “They’re telepathic, which makes it insanely easy for them to pick up new dialects, and they have eidetic memory so they never forget one once it’s learned.”

“So they know English then,” Masters commented with a nod. He holstered his tissue compression eliminator against his side and stepped forward. “We come from the prime universe. We mean you no harm.”

“You are welcome on Gallifrey and in the city of Arcadia,” the lead woman with the white wolf mask said as she pointed at the domed citadel ahead of them. She then glanced at John and flashed him a tongue-touched grin before stepping towards him and twining the fingers of their hands together, setting off at a fast walk and dragging him after. “Come, you must have audience with the Lord President.” 

“Squad B, head back to the vent shaft and salvage what you can of our equipment,” Masters ordered. The military men snapped to, but the rest of them climbed into the shuttles. The Gallifreyans were standing on the running boards on the sides and John could hardly contain his excitement, practically vibrating in his seat as Arcadia drew nearer. So, like he always did when he got antsy, he began babbling.

“Now, what’s really amazing is that despite the cultures developing on two different planets they don’t externally look that different from us. But inside is a completely different matter, I mean their physiology really is quite something when you come down to it-”

“Someone’s having a good time,” River remarked offhandedly to Col. Masters. They went ignored by the Doctor. 

“Like a child at Christmas,” Masters agreed with a smirk. River’s smile faded as she considered something, a worried expression settling on her face. 

“Colonel, there weren’t supposed to be people here,” she began hesitantly. “This changes everything-”

“This changes _nothing_ ,” Masters snarled softly. River slumped in her seat.

“-Take _that_ , Colonel Mace!” John crowed, finishing his rant as they approached the large ornate gates of the city’s entrance. They all leaned forward despite themselves to get a better look. 

The Panopticon, where the High Council of the Time Lords sat, was vast and ornate. The ceiling stretched on forever and as they waited for audience they were awed to find that it had begun to rain indoors it went so high. Large Grecian pillars supported balconies and halls and marbled floors shone in light that seemed to emanate from the synthetically paneled walls. It was at once ancient yet impossibly advanced and left the humans (and others) entirely bewildered. 

Finally, they were called forward. The Wolf led them towards an ornate desk with a very, very soft-padded chair behind it. The man sitting behind said desk was more slumped into it than sitting, his breathing wet and uneven, and he looked seriously ill. Also, seriously old. All of his features were gaunt and wrinkled and he was rail-thin verging on emaciated. Milky blind eyes stared unseeing at his visitors as they approached.

**Greetings, Lord President,** the woman said softly in Gallifreyan with a smile and a short respectful bow. **I have brought the offworlders.**

**Arkytior,** the President rasped tiredly. **You know the laws. None but the Time Lords May set foot on Gallifrey and live.** John frowned softly as he listened in, quietly stepping off into the corner as he took out a journal and began making notes. 

**Father, they might be able to help-**

**We are the superior race, my daughter. You know that.**

**But father...**

**Enough,** the man coughed. **I will talk more of this later with you in my rooms.**

“Lord President,” Masters said respectfully as he walked forward. The woman winced and exchanged a grimace with John as he hastily shoved his journal back into his satchel. “On behalf of myself and my people I want to say what an honor and privilege it is to be welcomed into your city.”

“Uh, Colonel?” John whispered, but was ignored. He sighed. The Lord President Rassilon let out a short laugh.

“You presume much indeed to think you are welcome here,” he all but spat. Masters opened his mouth to speak but stopped when Rassilon held up his hand. “I allow your people to leave my planet and this dimension with your lives. I pray you have the good sense to take it.” 

“Sir?” Masters said again.

“What?”

“Might we at least be allowed to refuel and gather supplies, my lord? Our stocks are limited and our people are exhausted. Rassilon sighed, rubbing at the bridge of his forehead. 

“You are allotted one night, or half a day to be precise as is my people’s way,” he murmured. “Now go.” 

“I thank you greatly your eminence,” Masters said smoothly as he moved toward the door. River and John followed after him to join up with the rest of their team outside of the Panopticon. John cast a forlorn look at the President’s daughter before he allowed the heavy doors to glide closed behind him. 

**Are you so compassionate for such lesser beings that you would go so far as to befriend one of them, Arkytior?** Rassilon asked of his daughter in Gallifreyan when they were alone. He slowly stood from his seat in great pain and Arkytior moved to help him as he leaned heavily on his Rod, the stylized metal gleaming in the light. They began slowly moving toward the door that would lead to his personal rooms.

**Lesser?** She scoffed. **No, father. They were not blinded by their power to go to war in a fight they could not hope to win.**

**We were triumphant.**

**But at what _price!?_ We have passed into legend by now. We have fallen far.**

**Arkytior-**

**My mother looks down on us and weeps,** she snapped. **I feel I can hear her, sometimes. And if these offworlders can bring us back to the Prime Universe... we can be great again.**

**You are a child of time and time’s weaver both,** Rassilon sighed. **And for that I am sorry.**

**Our way of life is _dying_.**

**It is _preserved._ Pure.** His gnarled hands came to rest around one of hers where it rested on his arm. **Arkytior, one day the people will look to you for guidance. Do not let my mistake of allowing your mixed blood to cloud your judgement.**

Arkytior bit her lip until it bled, eyes glistening with tears. She pulled away from her father and stalked out into the hallway, pausing at the doors for a few moments.

**Then I’m sorry my birthright as the daughter of the Time goddess is so embarrassing for you,** she snapped. Rassilon sighed, sinking onto his bed. She was too much like her mother.


	10. Questions

“So, how’d it go?” Jack asked as they left the Panopticon, pushing off of the exterior facade and feigning a casual attitude. 

“Well, the Lord President basically told us that we were lucky he hadn’t killed us yet because, apparently, they’re a very xenophobic culture,” John began, running his hand through his hair. “Now, his daughter - the uh, the wolf girl from earlier - she seems to like us just fine, but I think the President’s hostility may be covering for something else he doesn’t want us to know.”

“If he’s hiding something I want to know what it is,” Masters snapped. 

“Someone needs to talk to that girl,” River suggested with a smirk directed at John and, while everyone but he and Mickey seemed aware of it and played along, the other two remained oblivious. John had pulled out his journal and was frowning at his notes, chewing on the end of his pen.

“I’ll go,” Mickey volunteered immediately.

“Yeah, someone with good people skills,” Jack muttered with a smirk.

“I’ll do it!”

“Someone who won’t scare her away with their murderous potato,” Jamie snarked. 

“I volunteer!” 

“And can speak the language,” Evelyn added, sipping at her thermos impossibly filled with hot cocoa. 

“Look, for the good outcome of this expedition, count me in,” Mickey finished as Masters rolled his eyes and tapped John on the shoulder. He looked up, startled.

“Thank you for volunteering, Doctor.” 

“Go get ‘em, Professor,” Ace snickered, nudging him in the shoulder. He let out a soft whimper but settled in to wait in a nearby park while the rest of his team went out to explore while they still could. 

When the President’s daughter eventually left the Panopticon he sighed, trying to steel his nerves, as he turned back from being twisted on the bench to watch for her arrival.

“Okay John, don’t take no for an answer,” he muttered. “I know that you’re rubbish when it comes to talking to women but really focus here mate. Just tell her that you have questions and that you don’t plan on leaving the city, no, planet, uh, Dimension, until they’re answered. Yeah, good, yeah.” He turned back around and she was gone.

“‘I’ve got some questions for you and you’re not leaving this planet until they get answered?’ Really? That was your pickup line?” A soft voice snarked behind him and he jumped to see the wolf girl slide onto the opposite end of the bench and flash him a blinding smile. 

“I...”

“Nah, don’t worry about it. I have things I want to ask you to, but who says you can’t do a little sightseeing along the way huh?” John swallowed as she bumped his shoulder and nodded enthusiastically. She flashed him a tongue-touched grin and stood, smoothing out her long crimson robes before offering him her hand. He took it and, instead of letting go when he had risen to stand beside her, she twined their fingers together. He couldn’t help but stare at them. “Perfect fit.”

“Hmm? Oh. Yeah...” 

She led him down twisting streets and across tiny bridges, and the entire time he marveled at the beauty around him. Eventually they came to stop at a secluded garden with thick red grass and shining silver trees.

“There’s so much to ask about the Prime universe...” she murmured, sitting in the grass cross-legged and gesturing for him to do the same. “I take it you’re some kind of scientist or scholar judging by how rail-thin you are and the obvious lack of muscle tone,” she teased as she took his glasses and plopped them down on her own face. He swallowed at that; they just looked really, really good on her...

“Oi!” He protested, snatching them back to save himself a distraction and pretending to become offended. “I run every day, thank you very much! I may not be a weight lifter but I could keep pace with an Olympic medalist if I chose to!” 

“Still, you _are_ really skinny,” she laughed. “So, where are you from? What happened immediately following the Time War? Are there still Daleks-”

“Whoa Whoa Whoa I need to ask some too!” He chuckled. “In answer, Earth, we weren’t developed enough to even know there was a war going on but the civilizations we now trade with say that there was a short period of absolute chaos, and the Daleks were completely destroyed.” 

“Okay,” she replied happily. “So ask away.”

“Uh... how did you get here? How did- how did your entire planet, your suns, your moons, how did that end up here?” The wolf girl sighed.

“During the last days of the Time War Lord President Rassilon decided to enact the Final Sanction,” she began slowly. “It would have destroyed the universe and elevated us to the position of gods. But my mother was the goddess of Time and she had forsaken that to live a mortal life. She cared for the creatures and beings in the universe and didn’t stand by his decision. So, one night, she put me to bed and walked to the Untempered Schism. It was basically this... rift in the fabric of reality that exposed the raw power of the Time Vortex. And being the goddess of Time... she stepped through it. 

She killed her mortal body so that the rest of us could live, and when she did that she used her powers to lock Gallifrey in a pocket dimension safe from harm... Or so that we couldn’t inflict any ever again. What?” John was staring at her in shock. 

“Yo- your mother was the Time goddess? So that makes you, what, a demigoddess?” 

“Most people just call me ‘hybrid,’” she returned with a sad smile. “So I appreciate the compliment.” 

“This is insane,” John murmured, rubbing at his temples. “Um, you got another question for me?”

“Yep,” she replied, popping the ‘p.’ “How did you get here?”

“It wasn’t easy,” he sighed, smiling as he rummaged in his satchel looking for the book. “Barely made it, and if we hadn’t had this Codex...”

“Codex?” She said sharply, taking it out of his grasp and staring at the cover with wide eyes.

“Yeah, _The Triumphs of a Rassilon._ Now, there’s all these legends about something called the Eye of Harmony and-” 

“You understand this?” She asked softly, gently leafing through the pages. 

“Well don’t sound so surprised, I only studied at it for the better part of my entire life. Now back to my question-”

“You can read Old High Gallifreyan?” She pressed, pointing at the book. 

“Yes- wait, why?” He asked, confused. She huffed, shoving the book back at him and rolling her eyes. 

“Because it’s a dead language even on this planet,” she laughed. “The only people that know it anymore are the record keepers and my father.” She leaned forward and poked him in the chest. “Show me.”

“I- Okay.” He shrugged. “Uh... let’s see...”

**I follow the path of the dead that I may emerge to the land of the living,** he read aloud before translating it for her. Her eyes sparkled. 

“How was my accent?”

“You consonants are clipped and the delivery is choppy,” she replied honestly. “It all needs to flow together. Gallifreyan, any form, is mathematically perfect and it all fits together harmoniously as a result.”

“Right...” he murmured. “Gotta work on that...”

“I want to show you something,” she chuckled before rising in one fluid motion and dragging him after her. They came upon a tall, thin, and tarped object. “You may have noticed that all of our shuttles are completely automated,” she began.

“Well, yeah, I kind of had-”

“This is a Time Travel Capsule,” she interrupted, pulling the covering off to reveal a large metal cylinder. “TARDISes. They flew in Time And Relative Dimensions In Space. They’re not used anymore, and I’ve tried everything I can to get this one started but nothing happens. I was wondering if there were any mentions in your Codex.” 

“Well, lemme check...” he said helpfully as she opened the door. They stepped into a large, cylindrical room with white roundel-filled walls and sandy coral winding it’s way through everything. He paused, gaping, before stepping back out and circling the smaller exterior five or six times. “But, but, how...?”

“Dimensionally transcendental,” she said dismissively. “We passed over a displacement threshold into a sort of bubble dimension existing as the ship.”

“That is... insane,” he muttered before flipping absently through the book and crowing triumphantly. “Ah! It doesn’t make much sense to me, but the Codex says that these capsules are sentient and alive. It makes mention of telepathic bonds between them and their pilots and then goes into something about the Heart of the TARDIS?” 

“Basically, if I want to fly this thing, I need it to want me to fly it?” She groaned. 

“Yeah, sorry. But maybe she doesn’t like being in a universe separate from the Time Vortex of the Prime Dimension.”

“Oh, that could be it,” she said, brightening. “A TARDIS’ Heart is made of Huon and Atron energy, which exists in the Vortex. Well, at any rate, I did promise to show you Arcadia. Still interested?”

“Yes,” he squeaked excitedly. She laughed. 

They were climbing up a steep flight of stairs as they ascended higher toward the abandoned astronomy tower. 

“My name’s Dr. John Tyler,” he panted as he trudged after her. “I just realized we were never properly introduced. 

“My name is Arkytior,” she said, glancing back and smiling. She was barely winded. 

“Ark- Arkeet- uh, can I call you Kit instead maybe?” He stuttered, face flushing further with embarrassment on top of the exertion. Arkytior laughed.

“It’s a kind of flower Doctor,” she explained. “The Earth equivalent would be the Rose. You can call me Rose if you want.” 

“Could I still, maybe, you know, call you Kit as well?” She shook her head in amusement but nodded an affirmative. They reached the top of the stairs and she pushed the door open onto a large balcony that overlooked much of the city below them. He froze, eyes widening in awe. “Wow...” He let out a soft sigh, eyes tearing up.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Arkytior asked, concerned as she laid a hand on his arm.

“Nothing, it’s just... ever since I heard about this place I’ve wondered what it looked like,” he explained. “The rest of the universe called it the Shining World of the Seven Systems. They described sunrises and sunsets hitting the silver trees just right so that it looked like the forests were on fire. They spoke of a burnt orange sky and rich navy night exploding with stars. And now that I’m here, I just... I can’t believe how much of an understatement those descriptions were. They fall far from the true experience.” Arkytior nodded. 

They remained up there for a very long time before she told him she wanted to show him the sea port and markets. As they moved through the stalls they talked of his companions and she explained some of the culturally relevant items. 

Later that evening they were all treated as guests to the House of one of her dear friends named Romanadvoratrelundar - well, all of them except Col. Masters that is as he was directing their refueling and resupplying personally, but everyone else enjoyed themselves immensely. Some of the dishes were far stranger than John was willing to try, but the expectant look on Arkytior’s face had him sighing and taking a little bit of everything. 

...Which he then found that everything tasted amazing and didn’t bother attempting to feign otherwise.


	11. The Missing Page

_Night had only just fallen over the planet when a small group of soldiers pulled their weapons from the concealed section of the shuttle. The one in the lead cocked his plasma rifle and inspected it, smiling._

^\\\|//^

“You know, Rose, the most we expected to find when we came here was charred rubble and maybe a dead world,” John admitted as they walked across the higher plains of the mountains. He had been busy catching and releasing the native species of firefly as she ambled in a specific direction. “Instead we find a living, thriving society.” He gestured to a flock of the dinosaur-looking things from the tunnels. “Y’know, those guys are pretty cool when they aren’t trying to eat you...”

“They wouldn’t want to,” Arkytior replied off-handedly. “You don’t carry time in your blood. If you were Gallifreyan you would look like a very tasty meal indeed. Vortisaurs exist in the Time Vortex, but since we became cut off from it the ones that got trapped here have found other sources of food than the pure artron energy they usually consume. As for your observation of my planet, we’re not thriving.” Her expression became sad and he abandoned his bug hunt in favor of walking up and twining their fingers together. 

“What do you mean?” 

“My people _live_ , yes, but our culture is dying,” she explained. “For hundreds of millennia my species has watched over and regulated time in the universe. Without that... without that purpose, which our entire societal structure revolves around, things become more unstable and crumble with each passing year.”

“I wish there was something I can do,” he sighed. 

“You can,” Arkytior assured him. They had come upon a large lake and she stopped at the edge, slipping out of his hand. “There’s an old temple here that predates the Modern Gallifreyan language. I’ve tried to study the carvings on its walls but can’t make sense of anything, and the sealed chamber has scrolls with the same Old High Gallifreyan characters on it.”

“I can transcribe it for you,” John said helpfully. He wandered over to what was left of an outpost wall and crouched to inspect it. “I just don’t see all that many ruiiiiiinnnnssss-” the word trailed off on an elongated squeak as he turned around to see Arkytior disrobing on the shoreline. “Ah... Rose, what are you doing?”

“The temple was situated in a ravine,” she explained as she let the heavy red robes fall into the grass to reveal a modest but telling single piece swimsuit. “There was an earthquake ages ago that broke a natural flood barrier. The lake came in and swallowed it. We’ll need to swim to get down there.”

“Funnily enough I never packed my flippers for this mission,” he choked. Arkytior rolled her eyes and tossed him a small bag. Inside was a pair of swim shorts and some strange goggles as well as a small portable oxygen breather. “Thanks...? I think. So, do I just...”

“I’ll be on the other side of what’s left of this stone wall, not looking,” she sighed. 

“...Thank you.” He had some trouble stripping quickly out of his coat, suit jacket, tie, shoes, shirt, undershirt, trousers, and finally his pants, but once he slipped on the swim shorts and tightened the drawstring he felt much less awkward about the whole thing. Bundling his clothing and dumping it next to hers he returned with the other two items in his hands. “So what’s so special about these?”

“The breather stores about twenty minutes’ worth of oxygen and automatically refills it when it makes contact with dry air,” she explained. “The swim down is deep and long. It’s also dark. Those goggles enhance your perception in the dark.”

“How come you don’t-” 

“My species’ physiology is superior to yours,” she explained offhandedly. “I have a respiratory bypass and can see far better than humans.” She stepped out to be waist deep in the water. “Are you ready?”

“Yep!” He said confidently as he put on the goggles and clipped the breather on over his nose and mouth, sliding the secure strap down over his his to tighten it at the back of his head. He followed her in and they dove down into the cool but not frigid waters. 

They were remarkably clear. Small fish avoided them and here and there columns appeared. It soon became obvious that they were swimming down what had once been the entrance to the temple. The opening yawned before them and he struggled to match strokes with the Time Lady currently drawing ahead of him, but maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing. Her golden hair fanned out around her like a cloud and when she glanced back to check on him her whiskey eyes were almost entirely black the pupils were so widely dilated, giving her an ethereal and entirely alien appearance that he found impossibly beautiful. 

They swim through what was supposed to have been the doors and into a large ornate room. It was circular with a high vaulted ceiling, several balconies ringing it, and the silvery light of the moons gleamed weakly through a large caved in portion of the roof casting everything in murky shadow. John was insanely grateful for his enhanced goggles as well as the breather. They moved upward through the water to the third level and then down a narrow corridor. At the end of said corridor rested a rotted wooden door. Arkytior gently brushed it aside to swim up the small and confined stone spiral staircase. After what seemed like forever they broke through the surface and into an air pocket. 

The room was small but dry and shelves filled with scrolls lined every wall. Long tables dominated the central area and held stacks of deteriorating paper as well as maps and partially-finished illustrations. 

“We’re above the water line inside the mountain now,” Arkytior said, answering his question before he got to answer it as he struggled to loosen the breather to let it hang from his neck against his chest. “This ravine flooded during the wet seasons so the mages who worked at the temple made sure all stored writings were kept in the highest, driest part they could find.” 

“These are incredible,” John breathed as he trailed gentle fingers over the ones on the tables. “What exactly are we looking for?” 

“Information on the Time goddess, references to the Untempered Schism, and any facts pertaining to the Eye of Harmony,” she listed easily. 

“Got it.” Luckily, with the goggles he didn’t need a source of external light to see so he started sifting through the scrolls. 

They spent a good long time there and when he asked how long she told him around forty-five minutes. 

“As far as I can tell your species developed the way they did because the Untempered Schism was a natural rift in the fabric of space time,” John explained as he leaned against a table. “It wasn’t created so it can’t be destroyed. Now, your people learned how to focus and harness it. What your mother did was revert it back to its natural state. The Eye of Harmony was something else entirely. A brilliant young engineer named Omega developed a device that could create and harness the energy from a quantum singularity. He detonated one and died doing it, but it worked. Gallifrey now had an unlimited power source. It’s stable and hidden, apparently, somewhere deep under the Panopticon. It also enabled the possibility of time travel, because every single TARDIS has a tiny piece of the Eye inside of their power matrix fusing with the huon energy and artron radiation of the Vortex.”

“And... my mother?” Arkytior asked quietly as she sat across from him. John winced sympathetically.

“A bit more complicated... she was what your people would call an Eternal. All polytheistic gods are based off of their species because of their powers to shape reality. Each one usually has specific, concentrated abilities.” 

“So, the Eye of Harmony and the Untempered Schism... why doesn’t anyone know about this?”

“It should have been in the Codex- oh, there was a missing page though...” John breathed. “Someone ripped it out and did a very good job of making it look like nothing was ever there...”

^\\\|//^

The moment they got on the shore John startled at the sound of multiple cocking plasma rifles. Col. Masters was standing over him with a smile.

“I take it your swim was most... informative?” He asked with a sly chuckle as two of his military men dragged Arkytior out of the water. 

“Let go of me!” She shrieked. Everyone jumped back in surprise as she kicked out and caught one squarely in the chest; he went flying and smacked into the stone wall of the land ruins so hard the surface cracked.

“Careful, men, careful,” Masters chided. “Gallifreyans are far stronger than we are. Just because she _looks_ defenseless doesn’t mean she _is_ defenseless.” 

“Sorry sir,” the only conscious one of the pair apologized as he leveled his rifle on his target. She stilled and shot him a murderous glance. 

“Good. Now, where was I?” 

“About to reveal your evil plan,” John snarled. He glanced over the man’s shoulder at the rest of the team. “How’d he rope all of _you_ into this then?”

“Debts to Fenric Wolfe in Perivale,” Ace said with a shrug.

“Gran’s hospital bills,” Mickey muttered. Strax just jerked his head in Mickey’s direction, the incentive obvious.

“Double agent for the Time Agency,” Jack explained. “They’ve got two years of my memories and I agreed to spy if they gave them back. We never actually left.”

“I’m with the Scottish Fighters for Independence,” Jamie growled. 

“I wanted to see the Matrix,” Evelyn murmured apologetically. “I never meant for it to come to this.” John glanced at the group and turned to the only one who hadn’t spoken.

“River?” He asked pointedly. She winced.

“I’m in Stormcage,” she explained. “For life. But if I did this job I was guaranteed my freedom.” 

“I want the Eye,” Masters growled. “Now stop stalling for Time, Doctor.” He pulled out the missing page from the Codex to reveal an illustration of a singularity in the sky above Gallifrey. “Now tell me what this page says or the girl dies.” 

“You’ll have to kill me several times for it to stick,” Arkytior snarled. “John, don’t tell him. I can see it in his eyes. They all have the same look. He doesn’t want the Eye. He wants immortality. Imagine a man like that with immortality. It would drive him mad and letting him loose on the cosmos like that is a horrible thing. The Eye is just a bonus, an incentive to ge the others to fall behind him.” 

“I’ll tell you nothing,” John snapped, pushing the paper away from his face. Col. Masters sighed and pocketed it. 

“Very well. I’m sure the Lord President will be more... agreeable seeing as we have his daughter. He didn’t strike me as a man who would let personal morals get in the way of preserving his legacy.” 

He turned away. 

“The two of you, get dressed. We have an appointment to make.”


	12. The Eye of Harmony

They burst into the Panopticon and took the High Council Chambers through sheer force of surprise and the fact that River had a gun trained on Arkytior’s head. Even better, the Council had been in session.

“Tell me more, there has to be more,” Masters ordered John, idly twirling his Tissue Compression Eliminator between his fingers. 

“There isn’t!” John protested. “I swear! It just says that ‘The Eye lies beneath what sees all in the palm of the creator.’”

“Well, who is the creator?”

“Omega,” Rassilon said calmly as he leaned on his staff. “But he is long since dead. The device that created the Eye was called the Hand of Omega. When the Eye of Harmony had been formed we moved it to Gallifrey and made a stabilization field to contain it and called it ‘Omega’s Fist.’” 

“Catchy names you people have,” Jack said with a smirk. “Always naming things after yourselves... got a condition, buddy. Class A narcissism.” 

“You know a lot about the Eye. Where is it?” Masters pressed. 

“Touch the eye and you not only destroy yourself but reality around you,” Rassilon warned.

“I must not have made myself clear,” Masters sighed. He reached into his pocket and suddenly jabbed a long, thin knife into the President’s abdomen. He threw it on the ground and adjusted his gloves. “I do so hate to do the dirty work myself.” 

“This wasn’t a part of the plan!” Mickey protested, running over to kneel beside the older gentleman. The rest of the team were exchanging shocked looks as well. “Strax, get over here and help him!”

“There is no honor or glory in striking a weakened, unarmed opponent!” The Sontaran growled angrily as he ran over and knelt next to Mickey. 

“I suggest you fix the hole in your heart the same way you would an engine Mr. Smith,” Masters replied callously. “Compassion does little in the mercenary field.” He leveled a cool stare at the rest of the High Council. “Now, there must be one of you who knows where the Eye is. You will obey me.” 

“It- It- There is a passage, behind the tapestries in the Omega conference room,” the Castellan whimpered as he cowered in the corner. 

“Was that really so difficult?” Masters snickered. He turned to a very mutinous-looking River. “Bring the girl. If you’ll join me, Doctor.”

“You’ll pay for this Masters,” John growled as he followed on the older man’s heels. They moved into the Omega room and behind the tapestry was a smooth wall. Masters knocked on it once or twice before smiling and placing pressure. The wall panel recessed and slid out of the way to reveal a descending staircase. 

“On the contrary, my dear Doctor. I’ll _get paid_ for this.” 

The walk was long and dark and River’s torch did little to dispel the chill gloom. Finally, at the very bottom, the steps opened out into a gigantic cave. At its center rested a contained quantum singularity. Tall stone columns vaulted into the high ceiling and curved around the Eye, which was a bright spherical ball of compressed energy held inside a domed containment field and countless safety measures. Close to their position was a long bank of mechanical equipment designed to operate the Eye. The entire place looked as if it had been abandoned for eons.

“But this is impossible,” John rasped. 

“Nothing was impossible for the Time Lords at the height of their power,” Arkytior sighed. Masters smirked. 

“Precisely. Now, I presume I can extract its essence correct? If what the Doctor read is true then all of your Time Ships have a small piece of the Eye within them.”

“You can,” Arkytior growled as River aimed her gun at John. “But the process is very delicate.”

“In theory I could simply do this, yes?” Masters hit several buttons in sequence, following a small chart on the torn page he had extracted. “And if I adjust the output...”

“No!”

The energy flickered before expanding in its tiny shell and turning a rather nasty shade of mauve. Alarms began ringing all over the place.

^\\\|//^

For Arkytior, time seemed to slow to a standstill. She felt it course suddenly through her veins as the Eye destabilized, instinctual reactions she wasn’t even aware she had had stirring to life and directing her. Power emanated from her very being in a tidal wave of energy and she let herself become lost to it. Finally, she could feel her mother within her. That small part of her that did not belong to the corporeal realm. She clung to it.

^\\\|//^

John and Masters were were arguing over quantum physics when Arkytior began to glow. They remained oblivious as she strode past them, her pace slow and measured but purposeful. 

“What’s she doing!?” River shouted as Arkytior seemed to pulsate with golden energy. The two men turned abruptly, their jaws dropping in astonishment. Masters quickly contained his surprise and smoothed his ruffled feathers into a calm indifference. Tendrils of temporal energy materialized in the air like shining dust to wrap around the Eye as it destabilized. 

“I... I think she’s creating a Time bubble,” John breathed. “Containing the detonation to a frozen moment of reality where it can’t escape to fully collapse.” Arkytior began to slowly walk forward, more and more energy gathering around her, before she stopped directly in front of the Eye’s containment field. Her feet lifted off the ground and she hovered in midair as her body shimmered with Artron radiation and Huon particles. Her hair was floating, and it was ablaze with white heat. Her eyes were wide open and devoid of all color except burning white. 

“Forget the Eye,” Masters breathed. “I’ll take the girl. She’s less trouble and far more impressive.”

“No, nonono. Rose!” John shouted. Arkytior’s head moved slowly to glance over her shoulder. 

**Speak with the Heart, John Tyler. She will know what to do,** she said in Old High Gallifreyan before she turned back to stabilizing the Eye. It was dual-toned and terrifying.

“What did she say?” Masters asked. “Tell me!”

“I don’t know, I don’t speak that version!” John lied vehemently. 

“I’m taking her now,” Masters decided.

“No, she’s turning back time to reset your mistake! At _least_ wait a few minutes!” 

“Fine, I will. And then I take her.” 

Despite being enemies the three humans huddled more closely together as a haunting melody began echoing through the cavern. Bright flashes of white hot light sliced through the shadows and they could hear wolves howling as if from a great distance, joining the song. 

The Eye of Harmony seemed to shudder before reversing its decay, retreating back into stability and the alarms tapered off into a low whine before giving out completely. The temporal hurricane surrounding it petered out until all that was left was dancing sparks and a faint echo of the song.

After what seemed like an eternity Arkytior lowered back to the floor, her body glowing in a pulsing rhythm. But she was see-through, almost translucent and composed of pure energy, and John wanted to cry. 

“Rose,” he whispered as she walked past him toward the stairs. Masters reached out to grab hold of her and he growled. “Lay a finger on her and you burn.” 

**Speak with the Heart,** she repeated in that same terrifying voice as she walked ahead of them. **She will know how to guide you.** 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys. Just want to let you know that I really struggled with this chapter. I must have gone through and tweaked it like five times (literally everything I have written beforehand was first draft with a read-through for spelling mistakes) and I'm still not happy with it. This is easily the most dramatic, amazing scene in the entire movie and a huge part of that is the visual, which is extremely hard to write when you don't have an epic orchestral soundtrack backing up the scene. I did my best but still am not 100% satisfied with it, but hopefully my plans and intentions for the battle and saving Gallifrey (which will be extended and deviate majorly from the established movie script in all the little ways) will make up for it. See, unlike the movie, which had its climax at Chapter 12. I wanted my climax later in the story at Chapter 15. Cheers!


	13. A Change of Heart

The Gallifreyans were watching the soldiers warily as they loaded Arkytior into a containment field and loaded her onto a shuttle. John was spitting with fury and struggled vainly in Jack’s grip to break free, but the former Time Agent had strong arms and a stubborn personality. 

“This is what you call progress!?” John spat. “You’re condemning these people to die if take Arkytior away from them! She’s the only one who could even hope to maintain the Eye of Harmony and keep it from growing critical!”

“Can someone shut him up?” Masters asked calmly. He nodded to his team. “We’re ready to go here.”

“We’re not coming with you Colonel Bloodtide,” Ace snapped, crossing her arms. A very angry Jamie and Evelyn nodded their assent. “My debts to Fenric aren’t worth this.”

“I came for the history,” Evelyn protested. “The chance to see one of the greatest cultures of the universe. I did not sign up for genocide!” 

“Aye, and I wanted to get funds for my cause in a free Scotland! But none of that matters if the coin is blood money!” 

“Oh, very well. More for me. Come along, Captain Harkness. Your superiors will be waiting.”

“Well guess what? I quit. I keep wondering, what did I do during those two years. Were they good or bad? Well, if I go along with this I’m pretty sure I’ve got my answer so they can shove-”

“Masters, think twice about this!” John yelled, interrupting. “It’s not worth it!”

“River!” Masters barked. She startled, glaring at him, but stopped herself from throwing back a fist when she saw his thumb hover over a remote detonator for the nano-bomb implanted at the base of her brain stem and froze. “We’re leaving!” He paused for a moment as if considering before motioning to his guard to stand at attention. With the protection behind him he turned back to John and smiled before bringing up a knee and punching it into his abdomen. 

John crumpled to the ground with a yelp, his glasses skittering to the side and some of the contents in his satchel like his pocket watch falling onto the ground. Masters smashed his heel onto the watch and then walked away.

“What was that for!?” Jack exclaimed as Ace and Jamie ran over to help John back to his feet. 

“I wanted to do that to Alistair ages ago, you see. But since he isn’t around I figured I’d settle. Good luck living on an unstable planet close to exploding!” 

He got into the shuttle with River in the driver’s seat and the engine cycled up. It began idling and they pulled away. As Arkytior’s golden light got farther and farther from the people the light in the flames in the city’s torches began to sputter out. The city grew dark as they passed through the gates. 

“We can’t just let them leave!” John shouted angrily, ignoring the pain in his stomach from Masters’ punch as he broke free of Jack’s grip and began running for the entrance.

“Professor, no!” Ace shouted, slamming into his back and sending them sprawling in the dirt mere seconds before the arch exploded and the large stone rubble came thundering down. “Sorry,” she added with a sigh as they stared at the blockage. “I didn’t have time to remove it...” 

“So now we’re trapped here,” John grumbled. Mickey came running up, panting, and jerked his thumb back in the direction of the Panopticon. 

“Doctor, you need to get up there. It’s not looking good. Strax did all he could, but... they’ve lost power.” 


	14. "Save Gallifrey, Save My Daughter"

Rassilon had been taken to the infirmary while they’d been gone and the entirety of the High Council were standing around his bedside. Two particular people of interest were a young blonde woman and a tall man who looked vaguely like a well-dressed wizard from the 1920s. 

“Ah, Doctor,” Rassilon wheezed. “Meet the new President-Elect, Lady Romanadvoratrelundar and my current chancellor Braxiatel.”

“How is he?” John asked quietly. Those assembled moved to let him in. 

“Heavy bleeding,” Strax supplied subduedly. “I have been informed that the President is on his last Regeneration - whatever that means - and will not be expected to recover due to the massive damage of the wound.” 

“This is all so wrong,” John muttered, tugging on his already-insane hair and groaning. “And it’s my fault...”

“He’s been that way ever since the Library,” Mickey said good-naturedly. “Don’t go beating yourself up, Doc. He’s wanted power over time ever since.”

“Hey, Mickey the Genius! Brilliant!” John exclaimed, brightening instantly with hope. “Ro- uh, Arkyt- Kit- uh, you know. I was hurt after the fall in the tunnels and she healed me. Is that something that-”

“Only Arkytior could do that,” Braxiatel said with a sigh. “She was part Time goddess and had access to abilities we could only ever dream of.” 

“Oh.” John deflated. 

“Where is my daughter?” Rassilon coughed. 

“Masters took her, away from Arcadia. She uh. They want to take her back to the Prime universe. She wasn’t looking too... solid after what happened with the Eye.”

“The Time Vortex is calling to her and she cannot resist,” Rassilon sighed.

“...What?” John asked, startled. “What does that mean?” 

“When she stabilized the Eye she tapped into powers she wasn’t aware she had. These stem from the existence of the Vortex, and when she lost control like her mother before her she began to lose corporeal form. The longer she remains that way, the more chance she has of succumbing to it entirely.” The President coughed. “In my arrogance I thought we had mastered it and used it freely in a War against the Daleks, but when we began to lose I looked into... other alternatives. Aeternitas gave her life so that the universe might live, and I have not tapped into the Vortex since. Not even to travel in time.” 

“But, but what if-”

“What is done cannot be undone,” Rassilon rasped, head lolling back against the pillows as he fumbled with the crest medallion around his neck and handed it to John with shaking hands. “You may be human but you have heart. I charge you to redeem yourself in the eyes of my people. Bring my daughter home.” He pressed the medallion into John’s palm before his grip slackened and his breathing became incredibly uneven. Their team members were escorted out of the room and into the hall as a Rassilon gave his last commandments to the ruling members of power. 

“So, what’s it going to be?” Jack asked with a sigh as he sat on John’s bench in the entry of the Panopticon. Gallifrey was preparing for war against the intruders but their craft weren’t built for working underground all that well. It would be difficult to catch up. The rest of their team were sitting in a small park a few blocks away from the Panopticon.

“Sorry?” John murmured, rubbing at his temples.

“I followed you in, I’ll follow you out. What’s it gonna be? Your decision.” 

“Oh, _my_ decision,” John scoffed, standing up and fuming as he clutched the medallion tightly in his fingers. “I think we’ve seen how effective _my_ decisions have been, Hmm? No? How about a recap? I lead a band of plundering vandals to the greatest archaeological find in the history of the universe thus enabling the kidnap and/or murder of the Lord President and his daughter, only to turn it all over to the hands of a mercenary _nutcase_ with delusions of _immortality_ who’s probably going to sell time travel to _Torchwood! Have I left anything out!?”_ By the end of it he was shouting in Harkness’ face.

“Well, you did set those Vortisaurs on the camp and drop us down that huge hole,” Jack commented mildly, pretending to consider beforehand. John groaned, turning away to throw his arms in the air in exasperation.

“Thank you. Thank you very much!” 

“Of course, it’s been my experience that science ends up leading, you know? You just do the best you can and that’s all anyone can expect from you.”

“And who told you that?” 

“Oh, just this guy. I think his name was Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart.”

John froze, staring at the medallion before sliding the chain over his head so that it laid against his chest. He took a deep breath and went to go find the forming attack force.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So as I was writing this chapter I realized something about the movie itself and I’m sorry but I’m about to give you guys some feels...
> 
> So in Atlantis Milo is trying to do his grandfather's work. I always wondered why he was so desperate about it and then it hit me. 
> 
> Whitmore was handling the affairs of his estate for the will. The picture from the trip to Iceland to retrieve the journal shows all of the team save for Audrey and none of them have aged or look any different. 
> 
> It always sounded like his gramps had died a while ago but in reality it had probably been less than a year. That's why everything about the mission is so personal for him, moreso than if he had died years ago.


	15. The Right Thing to Do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! Today is Labor Day in the United States, which is a holiday we take off to celebrate the achievements of the working industry (particularly the creation of the labor movement which was designed to keep the laborers' economic, social, and health rights safeguarded or improved upon), so I'm doing early posting to celebrate. Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to say that, for the mental image in your head when you picture the TARDIS interior, I see the War Doctor’s TARDIS from the 50th Anniversary “Day of the Doctor” episode. The reason for this is because I sorely wanted the white with roundels but I needed the organic coral aspect and a general sort of overall decrepit feel. While there are many things I like and dislike about the 50th I feel that the flawless combination of Classic and New Who TARDIS control rooms is a plus if you’re looking for a combo.

John stalked out of the Panopticon and passed the rest of the group with Jack right on his heels.

“Where are you going?” Ace asked suspiciously. 

“After Masters!” John retorted, not stopping.

“Professor, that’s mental! You’re a complete nutter!”

“Do I _look_ like I’m disagreeing with you? It’s not smart, it’s not safe, but it’s _right_.” He turned the corner and the group exchanged contemplative, worried glances.

“We’d better make sure he doesn’t hurt himself,” Ace sighed. 

John rounded a corner and took off into a run. There wasn’t any time to waste and after the tour Arkytior had given him he knew in general where he was going; there was the park, and there was the TARDIS. He slammed his hand against the door and paled, remembering he didn’t have a key.

“Please!” Mercifully, the doors slid open. He stepped into the white room and circled the console desperately. The ship hummed at him and the coral rim against the edge warmed at his touch. “Rose. She’s in trouble, and I know that she’s the daughter of the Time goddess. If that means anything to you, please please _please_. Help me.” 

A panel slid open and a bright golden light exploded in the room. John gasped as a tendril of energy struck his chest and swirled against his temples, slumping against the console and groaning in pain as his mind seemed to burn and power seared through his veins before the discomfort eased and all he heard in the back of his consciousness was a wonderful living song. The TARDIS chirped urgently and a moment later banging could be heard against the doors.

“Doc! Hey Doc! Open up!” 

The light of the Vortex receded and the section of the console closed. He took a moment to gather his thoughts and regulate his breathing. Pushing down the sudden nausea he opened the doors and Ace stuck her head in. She was about to shout something when she froze, circling the exterior before cautiously stepping inside. 

“What...?”

“Are you getting in or not?” 

“...Yeah...”

As one, the team shuffled into the ship and John closed the doors behind them. 

“Doc, this is...”

“Incredible?” He summarized. The TARDIS hummed amusedly in his mind and he did his best not to react externally to it before letting her guide his movements as he dashed around the console. 

A few moments later the ship shuddered, letting out a strange noise, and then went still. He flicked on the monitor and glanced at what was outside, smiling when he saw that he was in the main square where the militant forces were assembling. They were staring at the TARDIS in awe. 

“Doctor, what did you do?” Jamie asked worriedly. John ignored him in favor of throwing the doors open and dashing outside. His vision blurred abruptly and he skidded to a stop until the vertigo had passed. 

“How have you done this??” One of the Time Lords asked incredulously. 

“Listen, uh...”

“Vansell. Head of the Celestial Intervention Agency.”

“Right, Vansell. Listen, your TT Capsules are sentient. You have to bond with them, telepathically, to be able to fly them. I read it in the Codex.”

“Is that what you did!?” Jack hissed, alarmed. John turned to look at him and blinked once before refixing his attentions on Vansell. “You let an alien ship _into your head!?_ ” 

“Do you have any more than the one I’ve got?” John asked, ignoring the Time Agent. Vansell nodded.

“Yes. A small fleet but a fleet nonetheless.” 

“Perfect. Let’s go.” 

^\\\|//^

_They were hovering in the Vortex, the ships waiting for a signal lock, and meanwhile Col. Masters was lining the top of the ventilation shaft with Nitro-9. He and his crew retreated to a safe distance and blew the vent before they began ascending into the long-abandoned space hangar. Masters smiled as he took in the intact spacecraft and shot a glance at the stasis chamber holding his prize._

_“I love it when I win,” he sighed happily._

^\\\|//^

The chatter over the communications system of the TARDISes was an almost lulling background noise and the TARDIS herself in John’s mind helped center him. She knew him better than he knew himself and he felt at one with the ship... even if his crew were adamant that he was a terrible driver. Which he admittedly was, but still. Give him a break, it was his first flight. 

As one, the TARDISes registered and triangulated the coordinates. John flicked the switch and they all lurched to the side. 

“So is there anything I should know before I get in close?” He asked.

“Col. Masters is never surprised,” Ace explained. “He has backup plans of his backup plans.”

“And he packs a lot of firepower,” Evelyn muttered. “If it’s all the same to you Doctor, I think I’ll stay on board.”

“Can’t say I blame you,” John retorted good-naturedly. The TARDIS all but purred as he subconsciously ran a hand lovingly over her coral trimmings. “You’ll look after Evelyn, won’t you Old Girl?”

“Oh my God you’re besotted with a sentient spaceship,” Jack laughed. “Oh, that’s rich.” John frowned at him.

“We’re telepathically bonded, Jack. The only thing closer than the bond of a pilot and their ship is a marital bond between spouses. We’re at one with each other.” 

“...Oh.” 

“Vansell just called and said we were good to land,” Mickey said quickly from his position by the viewscreen, cutting off the increasingly awkward conversation. John nodded and flicked a few switches in tandem. The TARDIS chirped an affirmative and flew. She landed them on board Masters’ ship and they checked the immediate vicinity only to find they were alone. The other TARDISes were landing at other sections of the ship such as engineering, the cargo bays, communications, transportation, etc, but his had landed them in the sick bay. 

“Right,” John said, holding up his Sonic Screwdriver and adjusting his glasses to fit better on his nose. “Masters will want to have Rose as close to him as possible to make sure his prize doesn’t go missing. I’m gonna bet the Ready Room, but just to be on the safe side can we split into three teams? One to check the bridge, one for the ready room, and the last for the captain’s quarters?”

“Sounds like a solid plan,” Jack agreed with a shrug. “I suggest you take Ace and her handy little explosives. I’ll go with Jamie to the captain’s quarters, leaving Mickey and Strax for the bridge?”

“I like it, let’s go,” John murmured. He paused as the TARDIS squawked at him, rubbing at his temples and noticing that the rest of the team were eyeing him worriedly. “Yes, all right Dear, I’ll go get them...”

“Go- go get what?” Jamie asked curiously. 

“Communicators,” John replied absently as he rummaged about in a storage trunk before returning triumphantly with a thin black case. He opened it and gave everyone an earpiece. “Evelyn, do you think you could monitor the place from inside here? The TARDIS will be keeping an eye on us so all you’ll need to do is tell us what the screen shows.”

“Ooh, the woman in the chair,” she said excitedly. “Of course I can.”

“Let’s move!” Jack shouted, cocking his Sonic blaster and bolting out the doors with a determined Jamie - kilt and all - in tow. 

“For the glory of Sontar!” Strax cheered. Mickey was right behind him. 

“Ready to go Professor?” Ace asked with a grin, hiking her rucksack higher on her shoulders. 

“After you Miss McShane,” he said with genuine humor before sobering as he followed her out. 

The ship was in complete chaos. Time Lords and humans were fighting everywhere and John had a hard time staying out of everyone’s way. Ace, right on his heels, was clutching a primed Nitro-9 Can in her fingers and constantly glancing over her shoulder every other minute. Mickey and Strax were causing quite the commotion out on the Bridge - Trust a Sontaran to really get things lively - and the blaring alarms interrupted just long enough for the computerized voice to call for security to report to the captain’s cabin. The decoys were working and all they had to do was not get caught. 

“You!”

Well, they got caught. 

Torchwood agents no longer hiding who they were under U.N.I.T. uniform flooded the corridors and John and Ace ran for their lives before sliding into the vents.

"Professor, you're lucky you're rail-thin!" Ace grumbled. She was shorter than average but had been blessed with broad shoulders and a naturally curvy frame despite her age, and was having trouble moving well in the narrow space. On top of that she had a rather full rucksack on her back full of explosives. John, however, had a slim bone structure and often forgot to eat whilst working and kept fit by jogging two miles every morning. Army crawling with spidery limbs that had no trouble bracing against the sides of the vent allowed him to periodically propel himself forward, and Ace kind of resented it.

"Nothing you can do about it Ace!" He called over his shoulder. "Do you feel like you're getting turned around in here?"

"Yeah, you?"

"Not as much as I thought I would be considering I once got lost in my own flat building, but c'est la vie." He paused for a moment and Ace hated that she was too far behind to even be in danger of running into him. He then turned down a side tunnel. "Pretty sure it's this way." He was using the light on his sonic screwdriver to see even if it was faint and blue; better than nothing really considering there was no other available light source.

^\\\|//^

_While John and Ace had been in the vents, Col. Masters had decided to move his prize. The locations being attacked were strategic, but the main team were only going after locations that they would expect to find him in. Never one to discount coincidences, he decided to head for the main reactor room. Close proximity to the fuel cells meant that ranged weaponry was out of play and it was also an odd location to find a high-value object in._

_It didn't matter really, that Strax and Mickey were blazing across the bridge or that Jack and Jamie had ransacked the captain's quarters. It didn't even matter all that much that the outer hull was being decimated slowly by trans-dimensional shearing as they travelled back to the prime universe. He had his prize, and they would be in the clear long before the damage became a problem._

_The one thing he hadn't counted on was River objecting to his orders._

^\\\|//^

By the time John - Ace had left his side to help rig up some explosives around the navigation databanks - found Masters and Arkytior he was surprised to see that the man was already under attack from Professor River Song.

“I’m not your slave, and I’m not your drone!” River was shouted. Masters went to shoot her and she roundhouse kicked his gun out of his hands. 

“I am your Master, Professor Song, and you _will_ obey me!” Masters shouted in response, drawing a knife and running it solidly across her wrist as she went to punch him in the larynx. She yelped and instinctually clutched it to her chest; he took the advantage and wrapped his arm around her throat and pressing hard. “ _Submit!_ ” 

River let loose a particularly strong and impressive string of alien curse words before driving the heel of her boot into his shin. He growled and dropped backward to knee her in the spine, and together they went rolling across the floor. John managed to shake himself out of his stupor and was just about to dive in to help when Jack rounded the corner followed by three of Masters’ Torchwood agents. 

“Doc!” He shouted. “Little help!” John shot a glance between Masters and Jack and growled in frustration before throwing himself at the nearest Torchwood agent, missing the way they tumbled a little more forcefully than intended into a wall because the man had been too surprised to see him sort of lurking in the shadows in the heat of the excitement. 

They rolled, tumbling across hard floor, and John yelped as his shoulder rammed against railing. The agent drew back his fist and bashed it into John’s jaw and he dodged the blow; the agent cried out in pain as knuckles scraped raw against grating. John took the opportunity to bring his knee into the other man’s groin and he let out a high-pitched shriek, rearing backward and hitting his head hard against the wall. 

“Thanks for the help,” John muttered as he stood and looked down at the now-unconscious man in front of him. Jack had more than easily been dealing with the remaining two, so he took off after Masters this time. He and River had moved further down the corridor toward the main reactors and John had just rounded the corner when he was thrown off his feet and onto his back by a large explosion. 

Focus went in and out, colors intensifying and draining, and the ringing in his ears drowned out the pounding of his own heartbeat. Groaning, he stumbled back to a standing position and stared in horror as his mind worked out what must have happened. 

_“River!”_

“Dead, Doctor,” Masters chuckled as he brushed his dark suit uniform off and cast a scornful glance at the darkened scorch marks on the floor where the Professor had been. “She got ahold of the remote detonator to her compliance explosive and tried to take me with her, I’m afraid, but unfortunately for her she didn’t realize it was a localized explosive. Designed to kill only the one wearing it and none else.” 

“You’ll pay for that,” John growled as he inched closer to the containment unit Arkytior was being stored in. Masters noticed this movement and smirked. 

“No, I think you’ll find I’ll _get paid_ for this,” he chuckled. “After I’ve had my way with the artifact I’ll hand it over to the Time Agency and Torchwood. Extra riches never hurt anyone.”

“You’re insane,” John spat. “That’s not an _artifact_ you’ve got there. It’s a _person_. A person you shouldn’t be messing with.” 

Masters raised an eyebrow and shrugged, elegant and almost feline features smoothing into an expression one possessed when looking quite pleased with oneself. 

“It’s a real pity you and I don’t see eye to eye, Doctor,” he sighed. “I can only imagine how wonderful it would have been to work with you.” He drew out his tissue compression eliminator from his pocket and aimed. “Goodbye.”

“J.K. Rowling don’t fail me now,” John muttered under his breath as he drew his sonic screwdriver and deftly turned it to (hopefully) the correct setting. 

Both objects sparked and fell from their owners’ fingertips; for Masters this was a shock, but John had been prepared considering what he was trying to do, and he took the opportunity of distraction to body slam Masters squarely in the chest. 

_There were multiple platforms in the main reactor room and it was a little too easy to fall from one to the other, but luckily that was John’s plan to begin with. As he and Masters fell onto the next lowest level Ace and Jamie came in to move Arkytior’s holding unit. Jack finished off the two Torchwood agents he’d been dealing with and went to help them._

_“I resign,” he spat before running after his friends._

Masters hadn’t become a Colonel by sitting behind a desk. John immediately regretted overlooking this fact as he struggled to keep the man’s arms out of neck-snapping range and dove behind some service pipes that hissed burning steam along the joint seams. 

“Oh, come now Doctor,” the man laughed. “Not afraid to face your demise are you?”

“Well, if it has your taste in goatees I gotta say I’m not looking forward to it,” John quipped sarcastically as he avoided a jet of steam shooting out of one of the pipes. Masters growled in frustration and leapt the piping, using the tight space to his advantage to drive home quite a few more blows. 

The ship shuddered violently and tipped dangerously to the side, sending them hurtling another two levels lower.

“Doc, we’ve got her! Let’s go!” Jack shouted from above. 

“Get back to the TARDIS!” John ordered. “I’ll meet you there!”

“But-“ 

“This ship is breaking apart! I’ll meet you there, but make sure the team gets in! We need everyone accounted for!”

“I-“ 

“Jack, please!” There was brief hesitation before John got a reply. He sat gingerly on the grating, every bone in his body protesting. He coughed up blood and hissed. “Oh, that’s not good,” he murmured softly to himself as he took a cursory glance around the space. Masters was nowhere to be seen. He looked back up when Jack’s voice filtered back down to him.

“Okay.”

“Thanks.” 

One less thing to worry about, and that left John to try and remain upright as the ship bucked and rocked beneath his feet. Fifty different types of alarms were blaring over the ship’s speaker system and he had just begun to wonder if Masters had fallen to his death when a strong arm wrapped itself around his neck and tightened. John gasped, choking, as Masters squeezed.

“This ship may be breaking apart, but I was chosen,” he hummed in an off-kilter way. It sounded deranged more than smug. “I looked into the girl’s eyes and saw Time unfold infinitely before me. Can you hear them, Doctor? The drums heralding my new empire?”

“You’re just a man Masters, you’re mortal!” John choked, scrabbling vainly at the arm cutting off his air supply. There was a brief pause.

“Am I? He unholstered an emergency flare pistol strapped to his ankle and aimed it at the nearest exterior window. “We’ll see.”

“Masters, wait-“

The reinforced glass blew out and the sudden pull of decompressing air shoved them immediately into the cold vacuum of space. John gasped as Masters’ grip slackened and tried desperately to grab onto whatever he could as he passed through the hull, but there was nothing except the descent into the void of empty space. Before his eyes flickered closed he saw Masters give one last jerk of life force before going completely still.

^\\\|//^

The entire team were waiting anxiously in the TARDIS when the ship they had landed on convulsed in its death throes and blasted itself apart, rocking them quite violently but remaining in one piece. 

There was a brilliant flash of golden light in the dark, and the TARDIS bolted towards it, opening her doors to sweep her pilot into her embrace before slamming them shut and allowing the Gallifreyan auto-return to engage as the humans (and Sontaran) fussed over her Thief. 


	16. Saving Gallifrey

John gradually became aware of a horrible migraine and the fact that every bone in his body felt like it had been broken at about the same time he became aware of the fact that everyone was whispering and that he was on the grating floor of his TARDIS, which hummed soothingly to him and helped to ease his headache. 

“Doc? Hey, Doc!” Jack called, sounding relieved. His gentle shaking of John’s shoulder was extremely painful and the U.N.I.T. scientist bit back a cry as tears sprang involuntarily to his eyes. 

“Hey Jack,” he mumbled, wincing as he slowly moved to a sitting position. He then panicked, casting anxiously about for Arkytior’s stasis unit before spotting it off on the side and relaxing somewhat. “Where- oh. Good. The uh, the ship?”

“Blasted into a million tiny pieces,” Ace replied proudly. “Everyone got off though, and Vansell said to just get to the main square outside the Panopticon when we arrive. Didn’t say why though.” 

The TARDIS chirped loudly and John looked at the time rotor, alarmed. 

“That reality is breaking apart,” he muttered worriedly. Evelyn blinked.

“I’m sorry, it’s what?” 

^\\\|//^

As soon as the TARDIS landed she threw open her doors. Jack, Mickey, and Strax hauled the stasis capsule out while Evelyn and Ace supported John between them (as he wasn’t feeling too hot at the moment), and when they got outside they noticed two things. The first of which was that it seemed the entire population of Arcadia had come to see them, and the second of which was that the sky was darker than night. 

Thick ashen clouds obscured the light of the twin suns or even the moons and stars, impenetrable and stifling. The sky seemed to be collapsing in on itself as rolling thunder cracked with a flash of light-giving lightning. 

It started to rain, the air hot and humid and freezing cold droplets fat with condensation falling through it. Within a matter of seconds they were all collectively soaked, but John was oblivious as he stumbled toward Arkytior’s stasis unit. He reached inside his coat looking for his sonic screwdriver only to remember it had been destroyed in his fight with Masters, so instead he settled for picking up a discarded shovel used by the lawn maintenance workers of the park and drove it into the door seam. 

The mechanism hissed as it began unlocking and he growled triumphantly, bouncing on the balls of his feet with impatience as he waited for the process to complete. The minute it did it exploded.

The panels flew in all directions and stone crumbled at the contact of metal; several people ducked out of the way screaming as shrapnel and rock chips went flying, but this paled in comparison to what John saw in front of him. 

Arkytior hovered a few inches above the ground, her arms loosely flung down with hands spread wide, and her head was tilted toward the sky with her long hair flowing as if it were underwater in a shimmering cloud around her. Her entire body glowed golden with temporal energy, her hair bright and almost white, her eyes blazing brighter than snow in sunlight. She touched down on the ground and it sent tremors through Gallifrey’s earth. When the rain hit her body it evaporated instantly in a hiss of steam and temporal energy shifted through the air like beams of dust as it wove around her. 

“Rose?” John whispered softly, flinching as a pair of blazing white hot eyes fixed on him for a few seconds. 

“Look away,” she said softly. The voice was dual-toned and echoed loudly throughout the square, quiet in delivery but strong in order. She lifted her arms toward the sky as she began to glow brighter and brighter until even the most stubborn who had ignored her warning had no choice but to follow it. The ground rumbled beneath them, and a brilliant flash penetrated John’s tight eyelids in its intensity. The air felt suddenly heavy, choking to breathe, and then he crouched low to the ground as it seemed to world convulsed in its death throes before all went eerily, instantly, silent and still. 

John risked opening an eye to a slit and gasped softly. The sky was clearing, the heat and light of the twin suns weakly shining through and gaining strength, and the atmosphere lightened as the storm dispersed. The shaking earth had settled into faint aftershock tremors getting few and far between, and there stood Arkytior. She was shimmering brightly with golden energy and standing before her was a woman composed entirely, it seemed, out of temporal starlight. The entity gently touched the young woman in the center of her chest; she gasped, the blaze of suns abruptly fading from her eyes as the excess energy surrounding her seemed to coalesce around the entity’s hand and travel into her vaporous being.

He hesitantly got to his feet and approached on shaky legs, entire body aching from the pains and injuries he’d incurred trying to get Gallifrey’s pseudo-princess back. Instinctually, he recognized that the goddess deigning to grace them with her presence was Arkytior’s mother. 

The goddess smiled at him and beckoned him closer, a knowing look impossible to decipher flickering in her shining golden eyes when she took in the unconscious movement her daughter and the stranger took to hold hands and stand side by side. 

«I thank you, John Tyler,» the goddess whispered in his mind as she moved to touch him in the center of his chest, energy brightening ever so slightly as she did so. She laughed gently as he gasped, eyes widening, as a strange feeling stole over his person and a warmth tingled from his chest to the tips of his fingers and toes, aches and pains fleeing from his person to be replaced by something... else. «You saved my daughter, and in doing so those who I had once taken as my people. Know that you have the gratitude of an Eternal, my Champion of a Time.» 

She faded from reality, dispersing into tiny sparks of sunbeam, and John drew in a breath to say something, anything, when Arkytior threw her arms around his neck and buried her face against his chest. He whispered soothing nonsense as he automatically wrapped his arms around her back and drew her close, chin resting on the top of her golden head. 

They vaguely heard Jack asking what had happened and being answered by Vansell, who told them that Gallifrey had reentered the prime universe in its old coordinate location but ignored it until they heard a child gasp and ask its mother what had happened to the sky. 

Arkytior pulled away slightly as they both looked up and she let out a soft sob of relief, hugging him tighter.

“Stars,” she whispered. “I can see the stars again.”

“Welcome back,” John murmured with a small, tender smile that she returned. 


	17. Proof

“Gallifrey will always welcome you,” Arkytior said earnestly as she handed each of the team a small pendant of TARDIS Coral sliver that glowed softly with its own living light. “I only wish we could do more.”

“Yeah...” Mickey sighed, glancing at the stack of technological blueprints and organic samples waiting for them outside of a rather magnificent-looking temporal warping ship. Said ship wasn’t a TARDIS per se, but it was keyed to their biometric print and was capable of going anywhere in the spatial plane by traveling instantaneously there through the Time Vortex. “I think we’re more than good, babe. Uh- Lady. Um...”

“Rose,” she laughed, leaning forward to press a kiss to his cheek. He blushed rather spectacularly but managed to maintain his coolness. 

“You’ll be heroes to U.N.I.T. and no one else can pilot that ship, so it’s yours,” John explained with a smile. 

“Really gonna miss you Professor,” Ace sighed with a soft smile. 

“Yeah, and I’m gonna start my own mechanic shop,” Mickey vowed, going in for a quick hug with John. “Forget working for the military. I’ve always wanted to run things on my own. And I’ll think of you guys every day. Nine to five. Monday through Friday.” He began devolving into a ramble as he worked out his forming plans. “Saturday until two. Sunday... well I need at least _one_ day off during the week, and August- Nah, I’m gonna go on holiday for August...”

“Hey, Doctor, I just wanted you to know that I’ve rethought a lot of things when it comes to how I’ve been handling my heritage,” Jamie said sheepishly. “Instead of trying to blow one another to kingdom come I think I want to encourage an exchange of history. Maybe compromise, but stay true to who we both are as cultures?”

“I’ll help you with that,” Evelyn said quickly. “I’m done trying to teach apathetic students a subject none of them care about anyway.” She handed John a chocolate cake. “I made this for you. Thought it would be a nice way to say goodbye. I never really know how to handle these situations so I... I bake.”

“I love it,” John promised, his nostrils flaring as he picked up the delicious smell of real chocolate. Arkytior was eyeing the cake with almost predatory interest. He hugged the pair of them and then turned at just the right moment for Ace to peck him on the cheek. 

“See you around, yeah?” She said somewhat vulnerably. “Don’t be a stranger since you’ve got all of time and space at your fingertips now, you here?” 

“See you Ace,” he murmured, kissing her hair and then giving her a gentle nudge toward the waiting ship. 

“You, Doctor!” Strax said, striding up to him and looking up expectantly. John wasn’t entirely sure what it was he wanted.

“Strax... wow. Well, hey, goodbye, Strax,” he said, awkwardly patting the Sontaran on top of his head before moving toward Jack.

“Sure you aren’t coming with us?” The Captain asked. “Hero’s welcome for the man who rediscovered Gallifrey.”

“Nah, the world doesn’t need another hero,” John said genuinely if a little too quickly. “They’ve already got just the right amount. Besides, I hear this place needs a scholar to translate all of their archaic texts to revive their culture."

“Take care of yourself, Doc,” Jack sighed, hugging him tightly around the chest. He stiffened slightly and they shared a knowing look before he let go. “And good luck.”

“Are we going now?” Strax asked impatiently. 

“One more picture first with all of us,” Evelyn begged. “And when I say all of us that includes you too, Rose.”

“I’m honored,” Arkytior laughed as they went to stand for the picture and waited for an innocent bystander to take it. 

^\\\|//^

“Now, let’s go over it again, just so we’ve got it straight,” Wilf said as he eyed the team currently sitting on his largest sofa in the observatory all fingering their Coral slivers. “There wasn’t any all-powerful entity that could be considered a threat and/or excuse to invade the planet?”

“Nope!” Mickey said promptly, dusting some dirt off his shirt cuff. “Just a peaceful society trying to rebuild their entire lives.”

“What happened to Professor River Song?”

“Blew herself up in an honorable sacrifice attempting to prevent Col. Masters’ insanity,” Strax explained. Evelyn hit him with her purse. “What I meant to say was that she’s currently missing in action.”

“That’s right, and Masters himself?” 

“Suicide jump,” Jack lied smoothly with a smirk. “You could say he knew he’d be held to trial and decided to not deal with the stress of it all.”

“Or, you could say that he thought he was immortal and that exposure to vacuum wouldn’t- also missing,” Strax amended hastily as Evelyn brought her purse to bear. 

“Lord, gimme strength,” Mickey muttered as he glared exasperatedly at his lifelong potato guardian. 

“And John?” 

“He decided he wanted to help Gallifrey rebuild since he was the only one who knew how to interpret their older records,” Ace explained, her face saddening slightly. 

“I’m gonna miss the lad,” Wilf sighed as he thumbed through the pictures Evelyn had been kind enough to take for him to document the trip. He paused on a small lumpy package underneath them all and quickly opened it, eyes widening when he saw the coral sliver and the spidery script of John’s handwriting on the note.

_‘Hey, Wilf!_

_I hope that I’ve convinced you it was all worth it in the end. I’ve made him proud, I think, and not because I followed in his footsteps in the end but instead made my own path. He used to tell me that courage wasn’t the absence of fear, but carrying on in spite of it._

_I think I finally understand what he meant by that. Thank you, from both of us._

_Doctor John Tyler.’_

Wilf smiled as he placed the coral around his neck and noted that it glowed warmly against his skin, humming gently in the back of his mind.


	18. A Place Among Lords

The Doctor watched grimly as the ceremonial precession ended at the raised platform and Rassilon’s body was gently laid to rest on the large wooden pyre. 

Hesitating only briefly, Arkytior raised her torch and set it ablaze.

Time Lords burned their dead. Their bodies were a miracle and even no longer living would give scientists a field day. It was too dangerous for them to be buried, even on their own planet, so they burned them instead. 

The flames climbed ever higher into the night sky and Arkytior walked away to sit by the lake. The Doctor followed her.

“Penny for your thoughts?” He asked softly. She smiled and gestured to the deep red grass beside her. He obliged.

“Just thinking how things can change so quickly, and change for the better,” she murmured. Her fingers found his and she entwined their hands together. 

“Mm,” the Doctor hummed as he looked out across the clear water with her, hearts beating just a tiny bit faster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhhhh, the end! Gotta say, this was one of my favorite rewrites to ever do. It was quirky and cute and perfect!  
> .  
> On that note, I'm contemplating doing a rewrite of Atlantis: Milo's Return (the second movie) someday. Not any time soon mind, seeing as I do not currently own said movie, but still. While it wasn't as incredible as the first one I think the reason for that is that the plot wasn't well-suited to the characters. But applying three short yet loosely connected adventures together with different environments and problems and strange, seemingly mythical creatures? That's what Doctor Who is all about! It would fit my rewrite so well!  
> .  
> Again, this won't happen for a while (might never it all depends), but I think it shows promise. Caio!

**Author's Note:**

> The song for this story is the end credits song from the movie. It is “Where the Dream Takes You” by Mýa:  
> https://youtu.be/mZad3r63wAI


End file.
